Chicago - Police union blasts proposal to cut $190 million from force

Mike Shields - Chicago FOP President

Police union blasts proposal to cut $190 million from force - Chicago Sun-Times: "Mike Shields, president of Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police, questioned whether cutting vacancies would save any money.

“How does ‘eliminating vacancies’ save $93 million when zero dollars were being spent on the vacant spots in the first place?” he asked. “That’s some real Enron-style accounting.”"

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Aurora, CO - Police union ratifies reduction in officer-to-population ratio

Police union ratifies reduction in officer-to-population ratio - The Denver Post: "AURORA — The Aurora Police union has ratified a plan to lower a mandated police staffing ratio for new hires.

The city was notified this afternoon that members of the Aurora Police Association gave approval to the plan. It passed by a margin of 318 to 48 votes.

The ratio will go from two officers for every 1,000 residents to 1.6 officers. It will save the city up to $40 million over the next 10 years.

Had the union not ratified the plan, a property tax hike would have been on the Nov. 1 ballot, asking voters to help make up a police-hiring budget shortfall."

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Arroyo Grande police union reaches labor agreement with the city

Arroyo Grande police union reaches labor agreement with the city & SanLuisObispo.com: "Police officers in Arroyo Grande have agreed to contribute more to their retirement costs and accepted a two-tier pension plan in negotiations with Arroyo Grande administrators.
The Arroyo Grande Police Officers Association signed the contract in part to help the city deal with its budget deficit. The city faces a $703,000 deficit to the $13.4 million general fund.
By agreeing to pay more for their retirement costs, the POA generated a savings of $280,000 for the city, union leaders said.
The new agreement is retroactive to July 1 and runs through June 30, 2012. The contract covers sworn officers, dispatchers and records personnel."

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San Luis Obispo - Public Safety Unions Suffer Stunning Defeat At Ballot Box

Measures A and B pass handily | The Tribune & SanLuisObispo.com: "A preliminary count of ballots showed that both measures passed with more than 70 percent of voters in favor of them.
The election paves the way for two key changes to how employee pay and compensation are decided.
• The city’s public safety unions will no longer be able to use binding arbitration — a means of triggering a third-party arbiter to make the final decision in contract disputes. • The City Council can now negotiate reduced employee retirement benefits without seeking voter approval."

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Jacksonville - Sheriff: Either cops take pay cut or lose some jobs

Nelson Cuba, Jacksonville FOP President

Sheriff: Either Jacksonville cops take pay cut or lose some jobs | jacksonville.com: "The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will cut 69 positions to make up for a 2 percent pay cut the police union has fought against for years.

Among the cuts are 41 officers and 11 community service officers, Sheriff John Rutherfold told the City Council’s Finance Committee on Tuesday.

The cuts come on top of a decision to not budget for 50 police officers who are paid for by a federal grant. That grant has not yet been approved for the upcoming budget year, which begins in October.

Rutherford said either group of employees could remain if the office gets the federal grant or the union agrees to the cuts. He said he jettisoned the positions reluctantly.

“That’s the only way to make this number,” he said. “I think that will have a negative impact on public safety.”

Local Fraternal Order of Police President Nelson Cuba said Jacksonville already had too few officers walking the street.

“Now we’re talking about taking away even more,” he said, shaking his head. “I thought government’s "

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Benicia Police Officers Association Responds to Contract - Benicia, CA Patch

Benicia Police Officers Association Responds to Contract - Benicia, CA Patch: "The Benicia Police Officers’ Association (BPOA) narrowly ratified an agreement to lower the pay of current Police Officers and Sergeants by approximately ten thousand dollars a year each. This is in addition to the ongoing concession of forty-six hundred dollars we gave up last year. In less than one year each Officer and Sergeant has taken nearly fifteen thousand dollars of reductions in their annual income. We the BPOA recognize that the city is under financial hardship, our frustration with the City is a result of their mismanagement and failure to address other savings opportunities. As the Chief Negotiator Emily Prescott of Renee, Sloan, Holtzman and Sakai, LLP said during negotiations late last year, “the City wants the BPOA to have difficulty paying their mortgages”. Mission accomplished, there are currently nine of thirty officers who have either lost their homes or were forced to short sell it as a result of the City’s inability to make hard decisions."

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Fort Hood heroes leave base police force - The Washington Post

Mark Todd and Kimberly Munley - Recipients of 2010 Top Cop Awards

Fort Hood heroes leave base police force - The Federal Eye - The Washington Post: "The two civilian Army police officers who first responded to the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Tex., that left 13 dead, are no longer on the base’s police force.

Mark Todd and Kimberly Munley, along with other officers, were told their annual terms would not be extended, according to the union that represented them.

“About 20 civilian police officers hired on a year-to-year basis at Fort Hood will not see their employment renewed, and an additional 11 officers at Fort Drum are being let go,” said Jeffrey Zuhlke, of American Federation of Govermnent Employee’s Law Enforcement Committee."

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Fresno - Police union says concession offer made to city

Police union says concession offer made to city - Updates - fresnobee.com: "Fresno Police Officers Association President Jacky Parks this morning sent by email to City Manager Mark Scott a copy of the union leadership's response to the administration's request for a 3% wage concession.
Mayor Ashley Swearengin has said the concession is pivotal to closing a $2 million general fund budget gap. Without the concession, Swearengin has said, the City Council and her administration may have to consider cuts to popular programs such as Senior Hot Meals and the possible closing of two fire stations."

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Cape Coral leaders consider pay cuts for police

Cape leaders consider pay cuts for police - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida: "The Cape Coral City Council was considering laying off members of the Cape Coral Police Department. Public outcry has the council reconsidering the plan.

Some city council members say they don't support laying off police, but they do support having them take a pay cut.

"I hope and believe we find a solution that won't require a reduction in police," said Councilman Pete Brandt.

In order to avoid layoffs, Brandt says police have to take a pay cut. The city has been trying unsuccessfully to get the union to agree to a 3-percent pay cut."

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North Las Vegas approves contract with Police Supervisers Union

North Las Vegas approves contract with Police Supervisers Union - News - ReviewJournal.com: "The North Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday approved an agreement on contract concessions with the 57-member Police Supervisors Union that will save the city about $3.9 million over the next four years.

After weeks of court-ordered talks, city officials and the union agreed to eliminate union members' cost-of-living raises through January 2014.

The union agreed to give up its 4.25 percent cost-of-living raise that began July 1 and a 2.5 percent raise scheduled for January. The loss of this year's 4.25 percent raise would not be retroactive. The union was scheduled to vote on the agreement last week."

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Omaha - Council Wants Mayor Away From The Table

Metro/Region - Omaha.com: "An Omaha City Council member wants to rescind the mayor's longstanding authority to lead negotiations on city labor contracts.
Councilman Chris Jerram added a proposal to Tuesday's council agenda that would put the council in charge of labor negotiations. The move comes as an impasse festers over a proposed contract agreement with the city's fire union.
"Maybe it's time for us to start over, start from scratch, and consider taking over the negotiations with our representative and our negotiating team," Jerram said."

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Battle brewing over Texas public pensions

Battle brewing over Texas public pensions: "Texas could be gearing up for its own Wisconsin-style grudge match over public employee benefits.

A group of high-powered Houston business leaders is starting a statewide campaign to overhaul retirement for future teachers, firefighters, police officers, judges and other state and local government workers.

"I think the state needs to get the hell out of this (pension) business completely," said lawyer Bill King , who is forming Texans for Public Pension Reform with others from the Greater Houston Partnership, an über-chamber of commerce with business members representing $1.5 trillion in assets."

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U.S. Economy Continues To Grow In Spite Of Propaganda

By Ron York

In spite of misleading information being broadcast by the media and political pundits, the United States Economy continues to grow.  A review of the latest Gross Domestic Product numbers from the Bureau of Economic Analysis validates this growth.  To read the entire analysis click the link below.


United States of America Gross Domestic Product

Omaha Mayor Puts Fire Pact Back On Table

Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle

Mayor puts fire pact back on table - Omaha.com: "Several Omaha City Council members bristled Friday at Mayor Jim Suttle's decision to ask the council to reconsider the proposed labor agreement with the city's fire union that it already voted down last week.
Those council members, critics of the proposed agreement, suggested Suttle should instead head back to the bargaining table.
"It's safe to assume the proposal will be dealt with swiftly with a clear message that rather than waste taxpayers' time, he should be back at the table," said Councilman Chris Jerram. "(The mayor) needs to be back at the table negotiating, rather than posturing.""

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Omaha Police To Split From Firefighter Fund?

The Omaha police union has told the city that it may sue to split the police and fire pension fund into two separate systems in the wake of an impasse over a labor agreement with the city's fire union.

Attorneys for the Omaha Police Officers' Association sent a letter to Mayor Jim Suttle Thursday, saying police officers would not take responsibility for the pension fund shortfall.
Late Friday morning, Suttle announced that he was sending the original fire contract — with its pension-fixing provisions — back before the City Council."

Medina police dispatchers and city agree on three-year contract | cleveland.com

Medina police dispatchers and city agree on three-year contract | cleveland.com: "Medina police dispatch officers will receive the same percentage pay raise as the patrol officers and sergeants over the next three years.

On Monday night, city council approved the new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the city of Medina and Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association for communications operators, a deal that mirrors the agreements signed by the Medina patrol officers and sergeants in mid-June.

“The master agreement was with the patrolmen and the sergeants, and this one came along with that,” Police Chief Patrick Berarducci said. “That’s why the first contract was so important.”"

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The Deficit As You Have Never Seen It

United States Economy Just Keeps On Growing

Indianapolis Mayor signed off on contract for public safety director's personal associate - fox59.com

Mayor signed off on contract for public safety director's personal associate - fox59.com: "Indianpolis Mayor Greg Ballard's office issued a statement late Thursday afternoon saying it was on board with Public Safety Director Frank Straub's decision to steer a $71,000 contract to the man who recommended him for the job."

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Pension details revealed - ContraCostaTimes.com

Pension details revealed - ContraCostaTimes.com: "LONG BEACH - Details of an agreement reached by Long Beach and its police union late Wednesday show that city leaders are willing to absorb a near-term salary raise in order to realize future pension savings.
The deal, the details of which City Councilman Gary DeLong provided to the Press-Telegram Thursday, extends the police contract by two years, through 2016. It would increase union member salaries by 8 percent effective Oct. 1, forgoing planned raises of 3 percent in 2013 and 6 percent in 2014."

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Police and firefighters: Orlando wants police and firefighter administrators to return last year's raises. - OrlandoSentinel.com

Police and firefighters: Orlando wants police and firefighter administrators to return last year's raises. - OrlandoSentinel.com: "Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's administration wants a pound of flesh from more than 50 police and fire department administrators.

Last year, to avoid layoffs and other cuts, Dyer asked city workers to give up voluntarily pay raises guaranteed in their union contracts. Nearly all of the city's 3,000 employees agreed, except for two groups: district fire chiefs and police lieutenants.
"

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Vallejo, Calif., Cleared to Emerge From Bankruptcy - WSJ.com

Vallejo, Calif., Cleared to Emerge From Bankruptcy - WSJ.com: "BY BOBBY WHITE

After nearly three years of winding its way through federal bankruptcy court, Vallejo, Calif., was cleared Friday to emerge from Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, said Marc Levinson, the city's bankruptcy attorney.

Judge Michael McManus of U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of California signed off on Vallejo's debt-restructuring plan, said Mr. Levinson, the final step before the city can exit bankruptcy."