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Defending San Luis Obispo firefighters

August 26, 2011

OPINION BY AARON SALMON

As I sat in the recliner returning from my 57th call in three days this morning, I wanted to comment on San Luis Obispo firefighter Rob Farino’s recent Opinion piece.  I am one of the “L.A. Firemen”  that is being used as a measuring stick against San Luis Obispo city firefighters.

This is an opportunity for me to not only reflect on the comments slamming Rob’s character but the entire fire service in general. I find it only fitting that I respond in the same comforts that everyone else has—on the beautiful Central Coast, without fear of major crime, traffic, gangs, drugs and our beautiful 72 degree weather.

This is not a statement defending Rob’s $26-dollar per hour wage, his decent retirement, or San Luis Obispo Fire Department’s ability to keep collective bargaining. He makes a wage to support his family in the San Luis Obispo area and it gives him the opportunity to live in the community in which he serves.

No, this is in response to the attacks that have been made against firefighters and police and the job they do on CalCoastNews, the Tribune and the Dave Congalton show. As most of you sit behind a computer screen in the safety of your workplace or home and attack our local public servants as being overpaid, under-worked, and then blamed to be the the root of so many of the City’s financial problems, I would like you to realize you are attacking your first and last line of defense against the cancerous abuse of the public health care system that riddles many areas today.

I know what you’re thinking—that could never happen here, we’re immune from the problems occurring  “down south”. Tell that to the fine tax paying citizens of Lennox, Watts, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley and East Palmdale just to name a few cities I have served and I will continue to provide excellent service for the next 20 years.

They too were once immune to the abuse, yet now riddled with the problems that everyone here living in San Luis Obispo has come up to escape. If this comment seems foreign to you, pack up the kids and take a vacation, not to Hawaii, or the Grand Canyon, yet spend some time in the communities you would hope not to be forced to get off the freeway and get gas on your way to Orange County or Palm Springs. If you need “pay per hour” hotel recommendations let me know, I’m sure most San Luis Obispo residents will need no more than that to understand my point.

Call me cynical or a little jaded, but you can not say I don’t have first hand experience of being a fireman, which most of the people here making these comments lack. Rob Farino is the type of person you want in defense of these problems. He seems educated, eloquent and very passionate about his job.

One day, in the not so distant future, as our precious community changes and our way becomes threatened, like so many others have, you’ll gladly pay him or anyone else $26 dollars an hour to come to your aid.  I can promise you San Luis Obispo’s call volume will go up, you will need and want our police and fire services.  So I respectfully beg to you be careful towards the hateful and ignorant stones being thrown towards the ones sworn to protect you.

Please value our police and fire departments.  As the old saying goes; We’re not paid on a daily basis for what we do; but for what we are willing to do!

Aaron Salmon serves as a firefighter in Los Angeles.


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It’s interesting. I lived in Los Angeles for a number of years. I don’t remember ever seeing a single firetruck in Culver City or anywhere else on the Westside for that matter — except parked at fire stations. Never a single one in the San Fernando Valley either. Not one time. I saw one big truck (much like our #1) with a tiller in Downtown on Figeroa. I did a triple-take because until then I had only seen them in the movies.


In SLO I REGULARLY see firetrucks seemingly cruising around. Much more in recent years. Just exactly why is that? More attempts at PR? More boredom? More fires? More sick people in SLO then in Culver City?


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Blindness on your part??? Just asking … LOL!! They must have special powers down there!!


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OFF TOPIC BUT….WHY ISN’T THE MEDIA WARNING CITIZENS OF THE DANGEROUS CONVICT I HEARD ESCAPED FROM ASH YESTERDAY? A VIOLENT OFFENDER AND CRAZY ON THE LOOSE AND NO INFO TO THE PUBLIC…NICE


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did he steal your caps lock key, too?


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I lived in the Valley for a number of years and I saw many fire trucks.


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Crusader the answer to your question is simple the bigger citys would have two fire stations covering the same population that SLO FD covers with four. Look at the call volume for SLO FD. There are more stations and personnel than are needed for the volume of calls. Its not very effecient or cost effective for the tax payers. Although people will die apparently if binding arbitration goes away. What a joke!


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The tiller fire apparatus that you see (the extended ladder truck) driving around the block in SLO repeatedly is doing driver training. It takes two very well trained drivers to operate this rig. There is very good reson why they have this rig in SLO because of the many multi storied commercial buildings.

Now, in Atascadero where there is only one or two structures of over two floors(the Carlton and the Rotunda downtown) why did they buy a articulated ladder truck?


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Are you serious? The tallest structures in Downtown SLO are the parking structures. They are made of concrete. metal and brick. Even if one caught on fire (or a vehicle caught on fire inside one) there is plenty of room to simply drive in.


Otherwise you must be talking about the Anderson Hotel, right? Five stories, built in the late 1920’s, out of formed concrete. Just how the heck did we get by without a tiller truck for all these years in SLO?


Maybe we should have just hired some tiller truck drivers from LA rather than us taxpayer money to train them locally?


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They go by my house almost daily… I don’t even know man


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Wow, the vitriol being expressed here by the supporters of A & B is amazing. I must have missed it in the opinion pieces written by the firefighters; where has anyone complained or whined about how much they are making as a public servant? The ones I see whining are those complaining about the firefighters and how “easy” their job is and what a sweet deal they have is. As I understand the job, a firefighter comes on duty for a 24 hour shift, usually in two or three days at a time. Not every second is spent saving lives or polishing equipment; I’m pretty sure that there are moments of boredom. What is it that they are expected to do for us? When the call comes in that there is an auto accident, that someone has had a heart attack, that someone has been attacked, that a house is on fire and it isn’t known if anyone is in inside while the place is engulfed in flames, these men rush in and attempt to save a total stranger’s life. Some times they get hurt; some times they are forced to retire early because their body has endured too many strains or their lungs are injured due to their working conditions. These men are not gods, they are not heros every single second of every day that they are on duty, but you better be damn glad they are there and willing to put their life on the line for each and every single one of us, no matter how we have voted on taking away their ability to have a bargaining chip with political leaders who seem to have a problem with following the law and could reduce our public safety protection with the only repercussion of being voted out of office. Every single one you that have complained about the attitude of the professionals need to just keep it to yourself; either you respect them and support them or you do not. These are professionals; they have studied and trained, they keep on training and they keep themselves fit and ready for duty at all times, ready to go at a moments notice. I respect them and I support them; binding arbitration is not the problem; failing to negotiate is and that is what the city leaders in the past failed to do, and if binding arbitration goes away, I predict that city leaders will fail to negotiate some time in the near future. My suspicion is that all public employees are painfully aware of the financial situation the city employing them is in and are more than ready and willing to make sacrifices to keep the city they work for from going broke.

Sorry for the length of my rant. No on A & B.


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Thank you, bobfromsanluis!! Finally, a voice of reality!! Don’t apologize for your rant – it is long overdue!!


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Almost everything that you mentioned that they do with the exception of going to fires is the primary responsibility of other public safety people. The firemen just happen to be there also. Granted they do a good job but unfortunately they do not walk across water on their way to emergency calls. They should be glad that they have jobs and that they are able to serve the community on an equal basis as do other public safety employees.

A vote of Yess for A & B will hopefully bring them in line with the work that they do along with other employees who also serve the public.


Amen-Let’s get it over.


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Why do you think that there are not good, valid, important reasons for the response of the fire department to calls other than fires? Do you think such responses are just for kicks?? OK – responds to auto accident (and, by the way – they are only called if help is needed) – anyway – CHP, Sheriff, city police – they do not carry the equipment for or are trained in extrication – nor do they have the equipment to clean up the gas, etc. that is usually spilled – nor do their cars block the traffic and protect them well enough from all of the crazy drivers out there, nor are they trained medical personnel. Ah, yes – those trained ambulance workers who respond to medical calls – check your facts – private company, not public safety employees. Also, once again, firefighters respond for a reason – try giving cpr while loading a person on a gurney with just 2 people (the number staffing an ambulance) – try getting medical info from the family while attending to a patient with just 2 people – try giving an IV while performing cpr while driving to the hospital with just 2 people. Or, wait until you get there, assess the info, then call the extra help while your patient gets worse and dies. It is just plain not factual on your part, and I am really tired of it! It iis this kind of uninformed “sharing of opinion” that others start taking as fact and jump on the ignorance bandwagon.


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Obviously your a fireman. The actual reason why the fire departments are called “first responders” is purely a fact of dispatching. The fire departments recieve a “kickback” of around $450+/- for responding from the ambulance company. There is work in progress to mark that up to around $700. Another rip off to the tax payers. The ambulance crews are the primary caregivers. Yes the firefighters do provide additional assistance to emergency calls although they are not the saviours to everything. Other vehicles block the scene. Other people can also give CPR and they do. Other people help load people on gurneys. Tow truck drivers sweep up the debris and fluids at scenes. Most firefighters are EMT’s which is just a fancy first aid card that allows them to demand more money for their services. There is a significant difference between a Paramedic and an EMT.

Why arn’t all of these other people standing on the crate and telling us all how great they are and that they should get paid more? These people still will shop at our local businesse’s. These people do not boycott their responsibilities. These other people will still go out and do their jobs, and be happy that they have them.

I hope there are some funds left from the fire department personnel so that they can purchase some crying towels to equip their fire trucks with when reality sets in.


Vote YES on A & B.


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Mr. Holly with all due respect your ignorance on this subject is nauseating. Seeing as you responded under my comment obviously it was directed at me? The department I work for receives no such kickback. I am a Firefighter/Paramedic, so with your obvious lack of information on the subject please do not begin to tell me the difference between myself and an EMT, with over 10 years experience as a Paramedic I am a little more versed on the subject. Furthermore your obtuseness on how a basic call is run is even more evident with your first responder statement. When our Engine Company arrives on scene the only Paramedics there are Firefighters. Once the ambulance arrives with 2 EMT’s there responsibility is to assist the Firefighter/Paramedic’s, provide a gurney and a ride to the hospital. Seeing that you are so well versed in this subject when I use the term ALS and BLS you will know preciously what I am talking about. If the call is determined BLS on scene, the patient is transported via ambulance with a single function EMT in the back and another EMT driving; both employed by the private ambulance company. If the call requires ALS intervention the determination is made wither 1 or more Firefighter/Paramedic is adequate in the back of the ambulance en route to the hospital. This is where most interventions take place. If you would like to address the real robbery of tax payers consider that in my area more than half of the ambulance transportation is billed directly to Medicare which you and I ask tax paying citizens fund. So before you spew your vomits verbosity with unfounded statements obviously based with no factual information I beg you to do a little more research before posting.


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LAFireman, You bring a good deal of light to some really ignorant statements. However, I’d bet if you look into your local ambulance contract there is probably some sort of first responder fee paid to the local agency. Your point about Medicare is extremely valid. Ambulance fees are extremely high in SLO county, and people who can pay or have insurance always pick up the tab for those that don’t pay anything or pay reduced fees via Medicare/Medi-Cal:


http://calcoastnews.com/2011/03/high-ambulance-rates-up-for-approval-again/


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I am hardly a fireman – I am a 65 year old grandmother who is an administrative assistant at Cal Poly. I know how to do my research and I do so before I make harmful statements. Let’s be completely factual here. The ambulance company, which is a private, for-profit business, is required by contract to have a paramedic on scene in a specific amount of time. If they are unable to do so, they are fined. The ambulance company PAYS the fire department to provide those paramedics to prevent being fined. You are wrong in your statement about firefighters not being paramedics – most are these days. You should be happy that some of YOUR costs are being defrayed in this manner – a for-profit business paying the fire department for their service. Where do these “other people” come from who ae going to help load people onto gurneys? What “other people” are going to perform CPR and take a chance on being sued if the patient dies? Other vehicles need to move away from an accident, not further confuse the scene by “helping”. For heaven sakes – this is just so stupid. You have trained professionals in place and doing a good job and all you do is complain about it. You all seem to be of the opinion, “Don’t confuse me with the facts – I’ll just make them up to suit my view” … no matter how much damage it does by misinforming others while seeming to know what you are talking about.


I don’t hear the firefighters complaining about their pay – I hear you all complaining about their pay. They are not asking for more money – binding arbitration is not about salary – it is about having a third, non-involved party decide what is fair. They obviously will not get a fair shake around here.


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jhagstro,


Please share your sources.


Most firefighters are not paramedics. I’d like to know the basis and scope of that assertion.


Further, “other people” cannot be sued due to the Good Samaritan Act (AB 83 (2009)).


Moreover, it is the intent of the Legislature to ENCOURAGE other individuals to assist during an emergency (HSC 1799.102(b)(1))–entirely contrary to your assertion that other people should move away from an incident and not help. California has long encouraged Californians to assist others facing danger in an emergency.


I am not certain whether SLAS provides any first responder ALS services in SLO. In many/most metro areas private ambulance companies only provide BLS transport and Fire is the first responder and primary caregiver.


I’d also like to see your research on “fines”. SLAS pays “first responder fees” in the amount of $708,410 county-wide to the agencies that provide fire services (SLO BOS Minutes, May 24, Item A-11). There are contractual obligations on response times, but the first responder fee is not derived from fines and I’ve not seen where any such regularly occurring fines exist.


There is a ton of misinformation being presented.


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Regardless of what side of the issue you are on, GET OUT AND VOTE !! Of the almost 25,000 ballots, only 35% or so have been mailed in. Do not mail in your ballot, the deadline has passed (last Thursday). You must hand deliver your ballot to one of the four designated drop-off centers or Clerk-Recorder’s office, located at the Government Center, 1055 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo by 8:00 pm Tuesday, August 30th. If you have any questions about the mail in ballots for this special election contact the elections division at 781-5228.


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35%? That scares me. That’s the first indicator that A&B might possibly fail as I’m sure the machine politics of the unions made sure to get out everyone they could to vote. Please do as Bugcatcher says and VOTE!


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Bob Bob Bob,


Yes these individuals are important members of the community and need respect. So do I. What is wrong with not allowing them to collect their free pension until they reach the same age as those of us waiting on Social Security (for which i have paid in for 40 years) In addition Bob, professionals don’t go around threatening the security and safety of the community. The ads these people are promoting use intimidation and scare tactics to win votes. If you dont vote no your homes and families are in jeopardy. All this so they can follow in the footsteps of their leader Deb Linden who is retiring on the public dole for about 150-200K a year of free money and at the age of 50. These are not public servants….they are out for the free ride


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Sam: You make the very common mistake of lumping the chiefs, managers and supervisory personal into the same category as the rank and file workers. Let’s get real here; it is those in the upper layers that walk away with the six figure pensions and the early retirements. Most of the rank and file that retire early have to for medical reasons. To compare a Chief of Police to a patrolman is an “apples to oranges” comparison.


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And Sam, as a p.s., Deb Linden did not benefit from “binding arbitration”, the same as our highly overpaid city manager.


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Maybe like the old Seinfeld episode suggested, they need to pick up brooms during their off-hours? They could drive around in their sector and sweep-up city owned properties while waiting for their next call.


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I am so tired of hearing you firemen try to manipulate us into paying you more by using fear. The truth is, you and your unions tweak the schedules and staffing levels so that, while you are “only” making $26/hr base pay, you are RAKING the money in, hand over fist, due to overtime, etc. It’s time you all face the fact: just like the rest of us Americans, you need to make adjustments to tighten your pursestrings.

So quit whining. Suck it up, just like the rest of us are having to do.


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SLOChuck, ITA. I’ve had it up to my hooters with scare tactics. I didn’t like it when the Bush Jr administration did it, nor when the Obama administration does it, and I certainly don’t like employees–who certainly want to be seen as professionals, and who are entrusted with saving us should we have a medical, accident, and fire incident that we cannot handle ourselves–using scare tactics on the citizens they serve.


Do the FF’s not understand this? That citizens–who already feel endangered by one of their own (the violent John Ryan Mason) who is allowed to run loose on the streets, ready to assault another citizen whenever he gets the urge–don’t want to entrust themselves to the care of people who will do whatever it takes–including unnecessarily terrorizing them–to get what they want?


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Miz Malone – I have seen post after post on your part trying to connect a bad apple (John Mason) with the other firefighters in this community. Shame – he is one person, and you are using him as justification for being against all firefighters??? I have had it up to “my hooters” with your scare tactics – I don’t like it when you blame all SLO firefighters for one maverick’s actions. Talk about terrorizing ….


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Bad eggs aside, this really boils down to services provided for a fee vs maximum return on benefits for providers paid in salary and benefits.

That fee charged is fixed yet the compensation to compensate those who provide the service that accompanies the services is controlled by a third party and can go up or down upon their whim. That third party wants to get the maximum possible for thier client, the unions. The actual cost to respond to a call is different than that to pay the responder.


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The third party is NOT connected to the union! The arbitrator is a non-interested third party. So, it is the ONLY way to assure fairness for public safety employees whoby law, are not allowed any other wy of bargaining.


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The whining and complaining from these so-called public servants is simply mind-boggling. WE PAY YOUR SALARIES. You may not want a pay cut or a pink slip, but that is the reality for far too many of us who are PAYING YOUR SALARIES. Your disrespect for the citizens of San Luis Obispo is utterly appalling. No one would care what you made in the private sector, but when you took a government job you should have realized that your wages and benefits are open to scrutiny. You are an expense, just like bookkeeping, not an income-producing asset. ALL of government is just overhead expense. Plain and simple, we can no longer afford you (and we can no longer afford overpaid city managers and chiefs either). If you are so unhappy with your jobs, and you feel so disrespected and so alienated and so angry, then just LEAVE ASAP and get another job somehwere else. There are hundreds of others who are well-qualified who would gladly replace you for a lot less money.


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womanwhohasbeen there – you obviously haven’t (been there and done that, that is) LOL- your and others’ disrespect for the people who risk their lives on your behalf is appalling!! So, hand out the pink slips – decimate the protective services in SLO. You say “we can no longer afford you” – Fine, until you or someone you love is is need – then I imagine you will scream on the other side of the issue. Get real!!


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jhagstro the stats are there showing a low amount of calls for service for the amount of fire resources available. SLO like everyone is in financial hardship. You cant write checks for an amount that you dont have in the bank to cover the check. Lets face it public service salaries in SLO are above and beyond the average. I would like to see the salaries posted publicly. Maybe people are wrong.


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“…No, this is in response to the attacks that have been made against firefighters and police and the job they do on CalCoastNews, the Tribune and the Dave Congalton show. As most of you sit behind a computer screen in the safety of your workplace or home and attack our local public servants as being overpaid, under-worked, and then blamed to be the the root of so many of the City’s financial problems, I would like you to realize you are attacking your first and last line of defense against the cancerous abuse of the public health care system that riddles many areas today….


The residents of the City of SLO pay for the services of their Fire Department and Police Department. In return, those providing the services should do so without endangering others, whining about criticism from the public regarding their high rate of pay, and certainly without someone here as a “measuring stick” for the City of SLO firefighter attempting to shift the blame from the firefighters, police department, and their administrations to the citizens criticizing them.


Mr. Salmon, by far, the criticism I have heard about the SLOCity firefighters is tied to the actions of one of its members, John Ryan Mason, his supervisors and the city administration. I would like you to address that, if you have the time.


Mason has, multiple times, attacked a civilian, usually in a public place, usually at night. (http://calcoastnews.com/2011/06/san-luis-obispo-police-report-details-fireman%E2%80%99s-alleged-assault/)


The most recent attack occurred in a men’s bathroom and Mason clearly continued to beat his victim when the victim was already disabled on the floor. The victim required FIVE STEEL PLATES in his face to deal with the attack.


The reason for Mason’s attack? His victim posted on a blog his opinion of Mason having an affair with another man’s wife. Witnesses said the victim repeatedly tried to deescalate the situation, but Mason was totally enraged.


A cab driver, previously that evening, had refused to allow Mason into his cab because Mason was so violent.


It took the Police Department FOUR DAYS to get around to arresting Mason. Mason was put on desk duty by the SLO Fire Department; however, he was seen fighting a fire soon thereafter.


As far as I know, Mason is still roaming the streets at night, and this puts the people in San Luis Obispo at risk.


In addition, I would be interested in the nature of the 57 calls you’ve been on in the last 3 days. That works out to about 1 call for every 1-1/4 hour.


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To MaryMalone;

My response was in no way excusing Mr. Mason and his allegations.  If found to be true hopefully he’ll beheld accountable.

As far as the call volume for the three days, we were uncharacteristically busy; we usually average about 14 runs a day.  The reason for the added call volume was we covering multiple areas behind units committed on other emergencies.  


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I think you missed the point of my comments about Mason.


It’s bad enough that such a violent person is serving in the role of a first responder. What really makes it a safety issue for the public, IMO, is the way the fire department and police department made special allowances for him.


If I had beaten several citizens already, then beat another citizen so severely that it required five steel plates in his face to repair the damage, do you think I would have been four days to go home, clean up, destroy all evidence, and meet with administration, city attorney, and union reps to get my story straight?


Hell, at the very least, they should have brought him in to test for alcohol and drugs. After four days, there wouldn’t be any drugs (except steroids, which take longer to dissipate) in his blood.


Then they put him on desk duty!


Meanwhile, he is still free to roam the streets, looking for his next victim to beat–perhaps the next time he will finish what he tried to do with his most recent attack: kill his victim.


About the 57 calls in 72 hours….I can’t understand how that is physically possible, unless all of the calls were kind enough to locate themselves in the same vicinity. I’m not questioning whether you did them, I’m just musing that I don’t see how it is possible.


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Mary, I don’t know Mason or any other SLO Firefighters for that matter, how their administration chooses to handle the situation has nothing to do with me or my comment.


To try and help you understand the call volume, there are 24 hours in a shift. I worked 3 in a row, not every call takes hours, some may only take 15 min. A full arrest takes about an hour to an hour and a half including a hospital follow up. Yet say we go to a person who is deceased and past the point of resuscitation take’s about 20 min including paperwork. A vehicle fire takes about 30-45 min from time to dispatch to cleanup. So as you can see you can rack up 20+ calls in 24 hours fairly easy.


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Can you please clarify? You’re an LA firefighter…but you live in SLO? How do you do the commute?


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Jack I’m a little confused by your question? Do you mean my means of transportation?


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Strike the commute question. I’m just trying to figure out how (if at all) you’re vested in this. You are a firefighter from a different (and not really that nearby) city, you don’t know any SLO firefighters. So how is this relevant to you? If you live in SLO, then I get it. If not, then I don’t.


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No one else has addressed this so I will. I am concerned that the horribly bloated wages and retirement packages are now attracting in many cases the wrong sort of people to public safety jobs. I think too many see it as a high-paying, relatively easy career with a great deal of power — power that is too often abused. When I am shopping at Scolari’s and I see a swarm of firemen enter the store attired as if they are going to a funeral it really makes me wonder. Do they actually work around their firehouse in those perfectly pressed blue uniforms? Do they actually change clothes before they go for a ride on #1 to the market? Is this all a PR show?


Same with SLO cops. Today’s local cops are certainly a different breed from years past. While “years past” wasn’t always necessarily that wonderful, I would take yesteryear’s cops over today’s cops in a heartbeat. There is a certain nastiness and arrogance that simply wasn’t experienced in the old days. I think the SLOPD in a great many cases is attracting the wrong sort of people who are looking for the big bucks, power and an easy (YES, easy!) way of life.


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you’re not seriously trying to prove your point by criticizing their uniforms are you?


I served my country and when not in the field I wore a very clean and pressed uniform. Back then we just called it being squared away, we never took into account the ease by which we lived in the freaking desert heat


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Going to a funeral? That’s audacious. There is a uniform and grooming policy and personnel are expected to look professional in public. Is there something wrong with that?


“Swarm of firemen” — again, audacious. They must bring the truck and all members to shop so everyone is together if they get a call.


Stick to real issues.


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If I am not mistaken, Scolari’s is part of “the field” for the SLOFD. Either they change into freshly pressed navy blue uniforms for chow runs on #1 or they don’t do much work around the house outside of paperwork dressed that way.


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I don’t think so, Kevin. I see Paramedics/EMTs from the local contract ambulance services and they seem attired to WORK. Actually more often then not it looks as if they have been working.


The FFs I see at Scolari’s or Jamba Juice seem to be on some sort of ceremonial detail. I’ll ask the question again. Either they change clothes for their runs or they aren’t doing much around the house except maybe pushing some paper?


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Public employees are not the problem. Are states having issues with honoring promises they made to teachers, firefighters, and cops? Yes but its not because of the deal their unions worked out for their security. Deals I might add that the states willingly and knowingly signed.


Its not middle class workers who are ripping you off, its the banks. The rating agencies where paid by the banks to rate investment packages the banks were selling,( a blatant conflict of interest tat should never have been allowed to happen.) The rating agencies gave AAA marks to investments that were backed by mortgage backed securities mortgages that were backed by nothing at all, loans that were given to people who could never have paid for these things. Calpers looks at Moody’s AAA rating on this investment and invests in it, then market crashes and calpers loses said investment. They were fraudulently led to invest in this mortgage backed securities. The bankers ripped you off not the teacher down the street and if you don’t believe that well your an idiot. I’m sorry I know the politically correct thing that is expected of me is to show equal respect to all opinions but all opinions are not equal and the opinion that your local firefighter is stealing from you is not just uninformed, its ignorance at its most dangerous because all the while we sit around blaming the guy who paves the road you get to work on the banks are starting to trade mortgage securities again leveraging themselves at 40 to 1 ratios and if the banks go under again you can say sianara to America we wont recover from it again we’ll just be another rendition of the former soviet union a crumbling lost empire whose wealth was stolen by a very few oligarchs at the top, and us blue collar and middle class people will be left in the cold no matter what political party we support


WAKE THE EFF UP PEOPLE


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I’m not sure that folks are willing to realize how big the problem actually is – how universal and far beyond the local salary debate the problem goes. What bothers me the most is who the “citizens” and “taxpayers” are going to blame next when they find out that the salaries of their police and firefighters are not the cause of the city’s financial problems. So, salaries are cut – pensions are cut – binding arbitration is eliminated – and the problem isn’t going to go away. And some of you here, on this page, have posted pieces that are more hateful toward those who serve you than either of the opinion pieces you reference. Yes, you definitely need to wake up and check out what is going on in the world outside of SLO. It’s this kind of misguided finger-pointing that distracts the public from the bigger picture.


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It needs to be remembered that the issues of Measures A and B are about Binding Arbitration. That is the problem, it just happened to be awarded in the case of public servants. It does not work well, it’s a failed system.


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Why do you feel that it is a “failed system”? It has been the only thing that has made sense since the voters approved it — I don’t understand — please educate me.


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