Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
Firstly, I want to commend the city manager for taking prudent corrective action to alleviate the burdensome cost of the 12 public safety officers. I recognize that that was a difficult decision and the criticism is unwarranted. The Manteca Police Officers Association was given several opportunities to re-negotiate their pay and benefit packages. But, they decided to retain their pay and benefits at the peril of 12 MPOA members. Therefore, the loss of 12 police officers is a direct result of the MPOA’S refusal to accept concessions presented at several meetings.

Moreover, it is absurd that-after the layoff the president of the MPOA want to blame the city manager for not negotiating to retain the 12 police officers that were laid off.

Moreover, the city manager-mayor and city council should: 1) reduce the number of lieutenants; 2) freeze all salary increases for 4 years; 3) take legal action to rescind the current contract with MPOA; 4) limit contracts to a year without pay increases (employees should not expect yearly pay raises) ; and 5) reduce the police chief (salary) and benefits.

Those actions will prevent budget deficits and bring salaries in line with private industry - not a tax increase proposed by one Manteca resident. Prudent management - if applied properly - will prevent bloated pay increases and keep cost in line with income.