A behind-the-scenes effort is quietly underway to avoid 16 layoffs of Manteca Police officers this Saturday.
Manteca Mayor Willie Weather declined to comment after Tuesday’s council meeting but indicated he is hopeful that “we can come to an agreement.”
“Nobody wants to lay off police officers,” the mayor said.
Manteca Police Officers Association Vice President Dave Brown may have hinted at the possible solution when he informed the council Tuesday that if everything comes down to an average hit of $118 per paycheck for each officer works out as being correct that he was “willing to put it to a vote of the membership.”
The $118 was in reference to a green information sheet distributed to attendees at Tuesday’s overflow meeting with all on hand supporting the police and a few – mostly other municipal employees – noting that while they appreciated officers they believe it was only fair if police also shared in the pain of the current economic crisis that forced Manteca to address a $14 million deficit.
Manteca has $3.5 million of that deficit still to bridge for this budget year. Thanks to the offer by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to advance the city the $1 million the state swiped in property tax in exchange for getting it back when the state pays it back with interest within three years if city can’t secure a better low-interest loan, the actual deficit left is $2.5 million. If the city had asked all nine municipal employee bargaining groups to forgo negotiated 4 percent raises in 2010 and 2011 plus pay more out of their own pocket for retirement benefits that are expected to go from 26.1 percent of a police officer’s salary this year to 30 percent by 2011. Employees were being asked to give up deferred compensation as well as – where applicable – uniform allowances for the next two years. The uniform allowance in itself would mean $1,000 less in an officer’s pocket.
The balance of $700,000 was projected to come from additional one-time cuts. The city already has reduced spending for this fiscal year by over $9 million through employee furloughs, leaving positions vacant when employees quit or retire, reorganizations, and streamlining how the city does business in its various departments.
The city was caught up in the same economic maladies that are sweeping local governments throughout California. They are dealing with what City Manager Steve Pinkerton has called “stunning” drops in property taxes and sales tax with the added bonus of the state taking a large chunk of what revenue cities have left to run services. In Manteca’s case this year, the state has taken $1 million in property tax and is threatening to take $8 million in redevelopment agency funds.
Since 1991, the state has taken over $18 million from Manteca alone when Sacramento was unable to balance California’s budget.
MPOA members since Friday had distributed 4,000 information leaflets to city residents. One couple they talked to – Caroline and Michael Elness – stepped up to circulate a petition and got more than 1,000 signatures in several days from city residents and those who live outside Manteca imploring the City Council not to lay off police officers.
Longtime resident Darryl Bain talked of a Molotov cocktail tossed into a store near his home plus other felonies in his neighborhood including drive-by shootings.
“We’re at a point where the police department basically goes from call to call,” Bain said.
“(Officers) risk their lives for $100,000 a year,” she noted.
Kelly Orlandi, a city employee, who was among those that belong to bargaining groups that already have agreed to pay cuts to avoid layoffs, noted her husband is a tile setter by trade who lost his job three years ago and is now dealing with a 75 percent cut in his income.
“I deal with people every day that never had a problem before paying their utility bills,” she said, adding that they would probably be happy if they had gotten a 10 percent pay cut instead of losing their job.
“I feel fortunate to have a job,” she added. “A lot of my friends are out of work.”
Manteca’s 13.8 percent unemployment rate was also on the minds of those who were in attendance to embrace the MPOA’s position of refusing a cut in pay to save police jobs. Loren Babliera noted that historically during economic downturns and high unemployment that crime goes up.
Randy Jackson, who said he chose to move to Manteca because it didn’t have the crime and other problems of the previous city where he resided, feared a reduction in the number of officers ultimately would give criminals the upper hand and send Manteca into a downward spiral when it comes to safety, the quality of life, and property values.
Keith Costa, a resident since 1963, said the council “should stand behind the officers”
Others feared that the level of safety at high schools would drop if school resource officers were yanked and put back on the street in the case of layoffs referencing an incident when a gang member brought a gun to school in retaliation had the weapon seized and was detained by the on-campus officer.
“In my opinion public safety is government’s No. 1 priority,” said Mike Peters, owner of Manteca Auto Plaza.
Eleven of those officers are only working due to Measure M half cent sales tax. They were hired with that money which is above and beyond the general fund commitment to public safety. The $14 million deficit is in the general fund.
In the worst-case scenario, 12 officers would lose their jobs indefinitely on Saturday. The other four would be hired back once federal stimulus money for law enforcement arrives.
Average pay statistics provided by the city’s Department of Finance show that with overtime a sergeant grossed $150,327.67 last year, a police officer II $106,308.85, and a police officer I $67,385.15.
Overtime is the result of court dates on their days off and staying on duty when there is a pressing crime investigation.
The police have significantly reduced overtime by the MPOA cooperating with Chief Dave Bricker to make judgment calls about completing reports and such that can wait until their next shift. The policy doesn’t impact serious felony investigations as it is designed not to cripple law enforcement effectiveness.
The Manteca Firefighters Association gave up guaranteed overtime average about $12,000 a firefighter by letting Manteca off the hook on previously negotiated mandatory staffing levels for fire engines. Now if manpower drops below a certain level due to illness or vacation, the city will shelf a fire engine for a shift at the Union Road station where the aerial truck and an engine company are housed.
A look at firefighter compensation though can also be misleading. Firefighters who respond to state calls for major fires are paid overtime that is reimbursed by the state and then some.
The extra money goes to administrative overhead.
Interim Fire Chief Kirk Waters said the city actually makes a little money on state responses.
They also have the use of an Office of Emergency Services fire engine when it is not fighting a major fire.
Manteca Mayor Willie Weather declined to comment after Tuesday’s council meeting but indicated he is hopeful that “we can come to an agreement.”
“Nobody wants to lay off police officers,” the mayor said.
Manteca Police Officers Association Vice President Dave Brown may have hinted at the possible solution when he informed the council Tuesday that if everything comes down to an average hit of $118 per paycheck for each officer works out as being correct that he was “willing to put it to a vote of the membership.”
The $118 was in reference to a green information sheet distributed to attendees at Tuesday’s overflow meeting with all on hand supporting the police and a few – mostly other municipal employees – noting that while they appreciated officers they believe it was only fair if police also shared in the pain of the current economic crisis that forced Manteca to address a $14 million deficit.
Manteca has $3.5 million of that deficit still to bridge for this budget year. Thanks to the offer by the South San Joaquin Irrigation District to advance the city the $1 million the state swiped in property tax in exchange for getting it back when the state pays it back with interest within three years if city can’t secure a better low-interest loan, the actual deficit left is $2.5 million. If the city had asked all nine municipal employee bargaining groups to forgo negotiated 4 percent raises in 2010 and 2011 plus pay more out of their own pocket for retirement benefits that are expected to go from 26.1 percent of a police officer’s salary this year to 30 percent by 2011. Employees were being asked to give up deferred compensation as well as – where applicable – uniform allowances for the next two years. The uniform allowance in itself would mean $1,000 less in an officer’s pocket.
The balance of $700,000 was projected to come from additional one-time cuts. The city already has reduced spending for this fiscal year by over $9 million through employee furloughs, leaving positions vacant when employees quit or retire, reorganizations, and streamlining how the city does business in its various departments.
The city was caught up in the same economic maladies that are sweeping local governments throughout California. They are dealing with what City Manager Steve Pinkerton has called “stunning” drops in property taxes and sales tax with the added bonus of the state taking a large chunk of what revenue cities have left to run services. In Manteca’s case this year, the state has taken $1 million in property tax and is threatening to take $8 million in redevelopment agency funds.
Since 1991, the state has taken over $18 million from Manteca alone when Sacramento was unable to balance California’s budget.
Two options for employee groups
Employee groups were given the option of accepting the city’s compensation adjustment proposal or facing layoffs within their own ranks. Manteca Police Officers Association representatives characterized it as a “take it or leave it” approach while Pinkerton has cribbed it in terms of “being fair to all city employees.”MPOA members since Friday had distributed 4,000 information leaflets to city residents. One couple they talked to – Caroline and Michael Elness – stepped up to circulate a petition and got more than 1,000 signatures in several days from city residents and those who live outside Manteca imploring the City Council not to lay off police officers.
Longtime resident Darryl Bain talked of a Molotov cocktail tossed into a store near his home plus other felonies in his neighborhood including drive-by shootings.
“We’re at a point where the police department basically goes from call to call,” Bain said.
Officers risk their lives for $100,000
Suzanne Anderson – a charge nurse at Kaiser who is also married to a Manteca Police officer – said she understood the difficulties other municipal employees were facing but added they do it “with a lot less risk” than police officers.“(Officers) risk their lives for $100,000 a year,” she noted.
Kelly Orlandi, a city employee, who was among those that belong to bargaining groups that already have agreed to pay cuts to avoid layoffs, noted her husband is a tile setter by trade who lost his job three years ago and is now dealing with a 75 percent cut in his income.
“I deal with people every day that never had a problem before paying their utility bills,” she said, adding that they would probably be happy if they had gotten a 10 percent pay cut instead of losing their job.
“I feel fortunate to have a job,” she added. “A lot of my friends are out of work.”
Manteca’s 13.8 percent unemployment rate was also on the minds of those who were in attendance to embrace the MPOA’s position of refusing a cut in pay to save police jobs. Loren Babliera noted that historically during economic downturns and high unemployment that crime goes up.
Randy Jackson, who said he chose to move to Manteca because it didn’t have the crime and other problems of the previous city where he resided, feared a reduction in the number of officers ultimately would give criminals the upper hand and send Manteca into a downward spiral when it comes to safety, the quality of life, and property values.
Keith Costa, a resident since 1963, said the council “should stand behind the officers”
Others feared that the level of safety at high schools would drop if school resource officers were yanked and put back on the street in the case of layoffs referencing an incident when a gang member brought a gun to school in retaliation had the weapon seized and was detained by the on-campus officer.
“In my opinion public safety is government’s No. 1 priority,” said Mike Peters, owner of Manteca Auto Plaza.
There are now 72 officers on the job
There are currently 72 officers although there would be 83 if the city had the money to meet staffing levels they set in the last budget.Eleven of those officers are only working due to Measure M half cent sales tax. They were hired with that money which is above and beyond the general fund commitment to public safety. The $14 million deficit is in the general fund.
In the worst-case scenario, 12 officers would lose their jobs indefinitely on Saturday. The other four would be hired back once federal stimulus money for law enforcement arrives.
Average pay statistics provided by the city’s Department of Finance show that with overtime a sergeant grossed $150,327.67 last year, a police officer II $106,308.85, and a police officer I $67,385.15.
Overtime is the result of court dates on their days off and staying on duty when there is a pressing crime investigation.
The police have significantly reduced overtime by the MPOA cooperating with Chief Dave Bricker to make judgment calls about completing reports and such that can wait until their next shift. The policy doesn’t impact serious felony investigations as it is designed not to cripple law enforcement effectiveness.
The Manteca Firefighters Association gave up guaranteed overtime average about $12,000 a firefighter by letting Manteca off the hook on previously negotiated mandatory staffing levels for fire engines. Now if manpower drops below a certain level due to illness or vacation, the city will shelf a fire engine for a shift at the Union Road station where the aerial truck and an engine company are housed.
A look at firefighter compensation though can also be misleading. Firefighters who respond to state calls for major fires are paid overtime that is reimbursed by the state and then some.
The extra money goes to administrative overhead.
Interim Fire Chief Kirk Waters said the city actually makes a little money on state responses.
They also have the use of an Office of Emergency Services fire engine when it is not fighting a major fire.
