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Five Cities Fire Authority set to raise pay, give bonuses

May 12, 2020

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, The Five Cities Fire Authority board is slated to approve pay raises and bonuses for all fire personnel on Friday, an item listed on the consent agenda. This is occurring at a time many public agencies are voting to reduce pay and lay off employees.

If passed, fire authority employees will receive a 2 percent pay increase effective May 15, and a one-time lump sum payment of $1,000, which is listed as in lieu of retroactive pay increases.

In April, the board directed its negotiating team to present its last best and final proposal for an agreement with the employee union.

The annual increase will cost the fire authority $49,700, with the charges to be passed onto member agencies: Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach and the Oceano Community Services District, all of which are currently facing financial hardships because of the pandemic.

In an effort to stay in the fire authority, Oceano recently attempted to raise taxes, but the ballot measure failed. It is likely Oceano will divest its interest in the fire authority, and begin negotiations with the county to take over its fire department services.

Currently, Arroyo Grande is facing a $1.2 million budget shortfall and Grover Beach is $700,000 in the red, for the current fiscal year.

The board is scheduled to meet on Friday at 10 a.m., by video conference. While the agenda does not include information on how the public can participate remotely during the meeting, the public is permitted to email comments to the fire authority.

 


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FYI, the raise realized in FY2020-2021 broken down by member agency is stated below:

AG’s 45.01 % = $22,369.97

GB’s 35.14% = $17,464.58

OCSD’s 19.85% = $9,865.45


6

Not to worry Mayor Ray will just siphon more money from the general fund denying other items in the general fund from getting their money, scare residents with decreased safety, and if that doesn’t work tax, tax, tax us all. While what needs to be done is dissolve the FCFA and negotiate with Cal Fire.


20

Cue the special fire tax assessment in 3…2…1…


12

Ah yes, but AG voters (wisely) have never passed one, at least not in recent history. Grover has, but they must be tapped out by now with street bonds increasing their property taxes, increased TOT, and increased business licenses – the highest total taxation in the County now! And what about all that Cannabis income that was supposed to solve everything – cannabis has been an “essential” COVID industry, so their taxes must still be flowing in to city coffers.


6

Fire Authority knows that the coffer will be hurting as time goes by .. So now is the time to make pay increases .To patch it up they’ll create a new tax or fee in future ,but not rescind the pay increases


15

This is typical Lieberman/John Wallace and other crooked dealers’ style – the more you screw up the more money you ask for. It seems to always work. Performance pay be damned.


8

Don’t expect Mayor Ray or the City Council in Arroyo Grande to stop this they just recently gave themselves a big raise, the mayor voted herself a 97% raise and the council members voted themselves a 60% raise so this FCFA raise is assured.


15

what’s the possibility of deferring any pay increase at this time?


22

Obese probability.


9

Isn’t Arroyo Grande looking at ways to cut costs? But they have the money to share in the cost to increase salares increases and bonuses?


22

No, no they don’t. But watch, that won’t stop them from approving the spending of money they simply don’t have. There will be a big push for increasing sales tax, especially since that money is already being spent to pay for the FCFA.


20

This was a system set up by Shoals, Ferrara, Lieberman, and Hill and still controlled by them or their minions – look who’s on the board. They have to keep the money flowing to the good ol’ boys in charge.


4

This can’t be true….

But it is…

Go to page 18

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56e31b40d51cd48392d2965d/t/5ebad283b4728154f2fd27b0/1589301901496/May+15+202o+Board+Packet.pdf


11

Read (the salary schedule) and weep.


15

You…..have…..got…..to…..be…..kidding! 30 to 40% of everyone is losing their asses during this lockdown, I’ve got good friends who are losing their business, and as important as Fire Fighters are, this is just plain stupid. When they eventually come begging for a tax increase I hope people remember this and say NO!


27

When will the Voters Learn? The nature of Man and Government is inefficiency and graft.

This has been true for thousands of years, but some voters still think that the pigs once elected to rule over us won’t start walking on two legs while drinking whisky. No matter how good a Government project or agency sounds, it will ALWAYS cost more, Grow More and Waste more money than any of the individuals would if it was their money. You voted for it voters…now you get to pay for it along with their Benefits, perks and Pensions!


Rich in Morro Bay and La Paz


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