As promised, one in my hat collection still stands ready to be eaten should this current Antioch City Council buck its union label. So far, the fedora hasn’t come close to the carving knife, as big labor, big government and big spending rule the local roost.
Let me first applaud this council for working hard and getting out into the public, especially the tireless, impassioned Wade Harper. Kudos, too, for the council’s 3-2 vote rejecting pot dispensaries from sporting their shingle in Antioch. The food union workers were disappointed, but in the end, two of the usual four-member voting bloc showed that they are not, in fact, monolithic. Hats off for the independent thinking.
Timing is everything in life, and Antioch’s current plate is simply better off without the attendant issues of pot dispensaries. Common sense considerations of city reputation, setting teen example, and police manpower shortage prevailed. After all, Pittsburg, with half Antioch’s rate of crime, voted 5-0 against allowing dispensaries and didn’t even consider the topic deserved discussion.
I wish, though, that I could be as cheerful about the holiday time emergency vote on retirement packages circumventing the new state reform by four days. The new council voted 4-1 (businessman Gary Agopian objecting) to scrap the deal made earlier in the year to bring new police pensions back from 3 percent at 50 to 3 percent at 55. On top of that, in a Christmas-giving frenzy, they threw in a bonus to 21 incidental city employees, increasing pension accruals from 2.0 to 2.7 percent yearly at age 55.
Let’s count the reasons why all this hurt so bad:
• Let’s, for argument’s sake, assume it a sensible proposition that we will, in fact, have trouble recruiting experienced officers without such a package (which many of our neighbors, tellingly, don’t have). Why, though, the incidental, non-police personnel give-away?
This was not Chief Cantando’s thrust or intention when he initially proposed the police sweetener. The package simply got hijacked by city staff wanting to be “fair.”
• The earlier assumption is just that, assumption. We are speculating and rolling dice that this deal will attract seasoned officers. Agreed, early on still, but note: not one officer has yet been hired from this.
• What kind of an example does this set to reverse a deal painstakingly negotiated earlier in the year? What does it say to the four or five other city bargaining units? They must be salivating.
• Consider the shaken trust level of Antioch voters, who invariably will some day be asked to pay a sales or parcel tax for additional police services? Kiss that proposition goodbye.
• Where’s the sobriety? City staff claims that this will cost Antioch only $23,670 a year, which if inflation, shortfalls and unfavorable actuarials don’t bite us, amounts to us paying some $700,000 over, say, 30 years. That’s no pittance, but worse yet, a citizens’ committee that went to City Hall raised no hackles when they showed staff calculations of $3 million in real actuarial benefit.
Who, then, pays the rest? The Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) gets stuck. Is that fair? Isn’t that the very reform we all want, where one city can’t sock it to others by passing on their largesse? Is $3 million, even if not all comes from the Antioch pot, not an inordinate sum to bet on a gamble that might attract only a handful of officers? How much is that per recruit? Brotherly love aside, won’t we all eventually get dinged with increases for a system shortfall, just like insurance payoffs aren’t free?
I for one begrudge no one a generous retirement. If only we could wave a magic wand and let every citizen in the country eat of the fatted calf. Fact is, though, we just can’t keep printing and spending money without becoming Greece. Sound budgets and sound pension plans are not made by wands but by sharpened pencils, not made by politicians who rise and shine wanting to give things away, but by bean counters who are paid to object.
Antioch is facing a $2 million-plus deficit next year. We have tens of millions already in unfunded retirement liability. We also owe it to the state not to take advantage. This council, which has charitable, good-intentioned people who like to please, simply has to learn the operative fiscal word of this age: no.
Walter Ruehlig
Antioch
This is East County. Jobs are scarce and benefits are minimal. Why does the public sector demand so much more than the ordinary folks are offered....unless they're willing to commute to distant places.
Being a police officer is a tough job and takes a certain personality. There are physical risks, although contrary to popular misconception, there are many jobs that have a higher injury and death rates than public safety officer. Police officers don't even make the top ten on the federal stats. Being a police officer should not allow one to become a millionaire by age 50.
It ain't so you say? Well, do the math. Or go look at the salary data on the state controller's website and consider how eight officers managed to rack up OT such that they earned more than $200,000 last year. 3% @ 50 with health care for life is a package worth at least $1MM in current dollars. How many "regular" citizens would like to have such a plan? You'd need more than $1MM in your 401(k) at age 50 to achieve it.
How much post HS education does it take to become a police officer? How many have college degrees?
Too bad. So sad. Just pay one's taxes an bow to the powers that be. After all, there union is engaged in racketeering and, if you dare speak out against them, they might just retaliate in some way. They may as well be organized crime.
The fact is, the public is getting hosed. But, it's politically incorrect to speak up about it so, most remain silent.
The police union amongst others, has been running this town for too long. Good people are "voting with their feet". Professionals with college degrees have been vacating faster than I can count.
We've joined them ourselves recently and moved completely out of the county. We only wish we had done it fifteen years ago when all of our decent neighbors and friends did so and advised us to do the same. Life is so much better out of Antioch.
Antioch needs real leaders with your courage to take on the status quo. Not more recycled has beens who are more interested in prestige, power and T&E on the taxpayer dime than they are in making tough decisions and saying no when they have to.
Go get 'em Walter. And, good luck.