"Data for 2012 is now up on the state controller's website. Looks like about $2 million has been cut from total wages, 2011 to 2012 (about 25 fewer employees)." (Bob Hutchinson).
| Your city payroll looks much better now |
Pacifica, 37,948 residents, 298 employees, 127 residents per city employee.
$437 amount spent on total wages per resident
$108 amount spent on total ret. & health cost per resident
$55,619 average wages for this city's employees
$4,107,346 total retirement & health cost paid by this city
Employee payroll detail cost by position is included, 12 pages. City Council payroll is here. The retirement and health cost for all employees may also be of interest.
Submitted by Bob Hutchinson
Posted by Kathy Meeh
Employee payroll detail cost by position is included, 12 pages. City Council payroll is here. The retirement and health cost for all employees may also be of interest.
Submitted by Bob Hutchinson
Note graphics: payroll run from Knutson CPA, PLLC, flip of the coin from Fresh Books cloud accounting blog. The graphics were chosen and posted by Kathy Meeh, not Bob Hutchinson who submitted the updated State of CA payroll information.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
70 comments:
I still count over 80 employees making well over $100,000 including benefits. Looks like they cut all the low paying jobs.
I don't see the deep cuts our city was telling us already happened?
FIRE
2011 $149K total average wages & ret
2012 $150K total average wages & ret
POLICE
2011 $123K total average wages & ret
2012 $139K total average wages & ret
Hutch
you are starting to sound like broken record bray, griping about city salaries.
As the article graphic says: "outsourcing". Outsourcing transfers cost, contributing to the estimated 25% payroll haircut. Example, FY 2012, city attorney was outsourced. The likely trend is more outsourced workers and consultants have been hired. Who else? These outsourced workers and consultants are the skilled replacement non-payroll employees who fill-in the employee expertise blanks for a duration.
916, city payroll is more than a "broken record", it is an active distribution component of our city taxpayer revenue.
On the other hand, your repeated "broken record" comment" is void of any recorded contribution, other than scratch. That's all you've got? Scratch, scratch, scratch... Meantime, rather than just "scratching", how about submitting an article of interest, do something productive for a change. Just saying...
Glad to annoy you anytime 9:16
The minute wages and pensions stop bringing down California cities including Pacifica is the minute I stfu.
Until then enjoy!
Looks like Pacifica's average salary is 14th out of 19 cities in the county, so we're doing a relatively good job at keeping wages down.
It's not the "broken record" that's annoying -- it's the "broken record that ignores all facts to the contrary".
We're also 16/19 on average retirement and health costs, so the city's done an even better job at keeping costs down there.
ANN 942 & 946: Doesn't change the fact that we can't afford what we are paying now. It doesn't matter if we are dead last in the county (which we aren't). We have not cut wages, and we are going to have to since the voters said no more taxes. Get it?
Pacifica went from having 8+ million in reserves a few short years ago to around 1.5 million today. All sucked up by compensation, despite numerous large tax increases. We can not afford these levels of expenditures.
Don't YOU ignore the facts 9:42. We can not afford to pay at these levels. That's the facts.
It was just reported in the Tribune that one in three Pacifica households live below the San Mateo County standard for median family income. The city can no longer expect these struggling people to pay salaries to city employees making many times what they do.
Pacificans want to see some sacrifice on the part of employees. Stop the layoffs and service reductions and negotiate across the board wage and benefit reductions of at least 5% a year for the next two years and freeze any increases for 5 years.
Nice! Ignoring the basic rules of a market economy while at the same time ignoring the facts.
As has been described numerous times both here and in Econ 101, reducing wages below market will result in an extremely unproductive city workforce. Layoffs and service reductions make much more sense, since the public has shown loud and clear that it will not support new taxes.
To pre-rebut the geniuses who will now call me a "union shill" for pointing out this very basic fact, please try and recognize that a "union shill" would not propose layoffs.
"union shill" would not propose layoffs.
Sure they would. Unions routinely chose layoffs over wage reductions.
Market Shmarket, we don't have the money. Can you understand that concept? Someone has to be the lowest in the county and it mys well be Pacifica.
And you talk like there's a fence around San Mateo County. Pacifica is very far from the lowest paid city in the Bay Area. We're higher than about 40%.
Go back to your union meeting.
OK 356 you want to apply a market economy to public unions? Ok, the company (City) is bleeding money. There is no additional money coming in. No other companies (cities) are hiring. And there is a glut of workers willing to work for 10% or even 20% less. Keep in mind other companies (Cities) have already made 10% cuts in pay, and more cities are contemplating cuts every day.. Do you lay off workers or cut pay and keep everyone working so you production keeps up?
You wanted to compare with a free market.
As I've said innumerable times, we should lay off people and cut services.
Otherwise, in say, the police department, all of the legit cops who actually attended a police academy go somewhere they'll be paid a market wage, and our police force becomes made up of a bunch of gun-toting George Zimmerman wannabes.
Catch a clue... IT IS A FREE MARKET AND NOT SOVIET RUSSIA.
1022, I think you're just throwing-out a bunch of nonsense words. However, that should remind us that police dispatch was also outsourced.
Although those employees are part of the approximate 25% city employee cost reduction, the paid positions exist in a different ledger category.
Which of those "nonsense words" do you not understand?
Exactly Kathy. A lot of shuffling around people and numbers to get the 2 M in cuts. Outsourced Fire management, City Attorney and Police Dispatch. That and the 25 low level positions.
Council has said we are operating at bare bones due to job cuts. I believe them. No more positions should be eliminated unless it can be shown service will not be reduced.
"No more positions should be eliminated unless it can be shown service will not be reduced."
What part of "we're broke" don't you understand? Without tax increases, which we've emphatically rejected, we will end up with both.
It's basic mathematics. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
"Sure they would. Unions routinely chose layoffs over wage reductions."
Show me where. You can't just make up facts, just like you can't magically change the behavior of a market economy.
Awe, employee moral will go down if they get a pay cut, awe isn't that a shame. If their production goes down they can be replaced with the highly skilled workers available and wiling to work for much less than these spoiled union brats. And what, are they going to go to another city?. There's hardly any cities hiring.
Oh, maybe they can work in the private sector? Good luck getting pay and benefits like they have even after cuts.
So there's no money & no jobs, plenty of highly skilled labor available to work for less. And no comparable job openings in the private sector.
There's your market economy.
It's not about "moral" [sic]. It's about the best city employees leaving to get market wages elsewhere, leaving only the deadbeats who no one else will hire.
It's a fact that people will change jobs to get better pay. Everything you mentioned is strictly conjecture.
403 your assumptions may be incorrect. People continue to work in jobs and stay in communities they and we know and like for a variety of human reasons.
No need to cast aspersions on those who stay. This time calling city workers who remain "deadbeats who no one else will hire", or "gun-toting George Zimmerman wannabes", and referring to conditions of a "free market, not Soviet Russia" (your comments 1022).
1102, when I referred to your "nonsense words", see the above paragraph. And to that, paraphrased, add your repeated theme "what is it you do not understand?" Since all of the off the top, aggressive comments on this thread appear to be yours, I'm sure you do understand.
And where are they going to change jobs to? Right now there are only 20 full time openings in all of San Mateo and San Francisco counties. Not much. And not all cities pay as much as Pacifica for all positions. Sure you'll lose a few to higher pay. But there just aren't many jobs out there. And besides, our cops like working in this relatively safe environment.
Our city employees are not deadbeats, to the contrary they show up to work everyday knowing they will be slammed by some sort of crisis.
My suggestion of a voluntary pay reduction of one percent for every $10,000 earned is a suggestion that would save city jobs. Nothing more, nothing less. Admittedly I do favor the Public Works crew and the Waste Water crew over fire and police because we need the DPW, they actually work for a living.
It's sad to see the only path chosen has been to chuck people under the bus, but morally that pales in comparison the the down right dirty pool of Nihart and Stone.
I've had calls from two separate police associations, ran into scores of city employees and staffers who have all expressed their willingness to voluntarily take reductions to save city jobs. The hard-liners, senior staff along with mid level fire and police have, like the Republican House members, taken us all hostage. It's a ruthless, selfish and petty shame that the least useful people we employ have done so much to so many just because of bitter stubbornness.
Grow a pair you damned hold outs and TAKE THE CUTS! TAKE THE CUTS, TAKE THE CUTS! Like the Grinch you may grow a heart.
Okay, don't call them "deadbeats". Call them "the very poorest performers who are inacapable of getting jobs anywhere else". Those are the city employees we'd be left with if this childish concept could ever be implemented (news flash: it can't).
Discussing this ridiculous and unworkable Mary Poppins solution where employees join hands, sings "Kumbaya", and accept lower wages than they could get elsewhere distracts from considering actual solutions that this city could implement in the real world.
916, None of your arguments make any sense. Maybe that's why you hide behind anonymous status.
Several people have rebutted your very weak arguments but you just keep repeating the same thing without addressing their very valid points.
As my dad used to say, it's like talking to a brick wall.
916, call your comment what it is, your imagined "real world", full of "deadbeat", "childish" words. Duh.
The city needs to work on a structural economic plan to bring-in better city revenue. That's the real world.
Our first step should be for the City Manager and Council to take a firm unified stance in demanding concessions from our many unions. Stop the public comments such as ones like "we've already cut staff wages." Council and the city manager are supposed to do what's best for the city and it's citizens. They are supposed to represent the city against the unions, not promise the the unions they won't go after cuts. Until they start representing the people we are screwed.
If the arguments don't make sense, you must not understand the basics of a market economy. Since it's impossible for you to change the very tenets of a free market, you deflect by talking about whether someone is anonymous.
Fact: Pacifica's average salary is already 14th out of 19 cities in the county.
Fact: Pacifica is also 16th out of 19 cities on average retirement and health costs.
Fact: In general workers will go where they get paid more.
Fact: In the silly "slash everyone's salary equally" scenario, the only people we would be left with are the ones who are too incompetent, unskilled, or inexperienced to get jobs elsewhere.
You're right, Kathy. The real solution is economic development. Unfortunately, that takes longer than we have. Therefore, the short-term solution that makes the most sense is eliminating some positions and reducing some services.
Hutch, council have no power in his fight beyond Chapter 9 or it's equivalent. The reductions would have to be voluntary. Since those are not forthcoming it's assumed senior staff department heads, fire and police couldn't care less because they feel they have a publicly funded money fountain. If these people cared for each other or the city they would have already taken the necessary steps to alleviate the issue which they haven't done.
There is no council solution except a Chapter 9 remedy.
Todd, council has total power over the direction negotiations go. They direct the city manager who in turn is responsible. They can choose to be tough or continue to go easy on the unions. Unions will never voluntarily give back without a fight. But first the city must set gaining big reductions as their goal and stop placating the unions, especially in public.
No Hutch, council does not. Unfortunately there is this HIGE misconception thecouncil is powerful. First off it's 5 separate individuals, not a corporation Board of Directors. Secondly there are rules, lots and lots of rules governing the councils behavior as a whole and thirdly there is staff, who do the real running of the town.
Sorry Hutch, this obsession folks have of an all powerful council is hogwash. It's a good and a bad thing. A check and a balance all in one.
Nice. Now we're disparaging city workers--many of whom are friends and neighbors, and all of whom work for a living just like most of us do or have done. Hateful, utterly pointless and self-destructive. How long would you like those deep cuts to be for? 10 years, 20? There's no development in the pipeline--even council's prize pig, the library, seems to have faltered. We voters may have shot down that last tax but that euphoria will wear off soon enough. This Council knows full well how hopeless the situation is. They know how much damage has been done to Pacifica's potential to generate revenue. And they know more money will continue to go out the door than comes in. Do they have the balls to say it, to debunk the myth of development? Hell no, but they're working on their communication skills to find the best way to get their message across to the voters. That's how politicians roll these days. The message? Pay more taxes or do without. It's going to be that simple. If they weren't so mealy-mouthed and conflicted, this Council could just spit it out!
Somebody 'splain that city council pay to me please. If $8400 is the yearly regular pay ($700 per mnth, how do they get to $1584 per mnth (i assume that is per mnth)?? Are they still getting cafeteria cash for unused benefits? Thought they gave all that up. Read it right here. It's chump change in this mess, but still...
I think the communication plan is meant to try and converse with the many people who create elaborate and ridiculous theories from very few data points, along with those who can't do anything but yell their same talking points over and over (often the same people).
It's a very good thing, and there are numerous people on this blog who might benefit from something like that (if they could only learn to stop yelling and listen a little).
City council is the five (5) stooges, Todd 559?
Three (3) city council members are a majority, they vote, they affect what happens (or not) in this city. Individuals city councilmembers introduce items to the Agenda, and modify and pass items in the Agenda. Each city councilmember may talk to one other city councilmember. They influence and support issues and citizens that come to city council, write letters, etc. They communicate with each other and the public at city council and elsewhere. They influence and communicate with city staff. They interview and appoint citizen commissions and commissioners. They talk to each other in closed session. Two may participate in civic or citizen meetings, commissions, boards, etc.
City council affects this city, period. Over 30 years, you may thank majority individual city councilmembers for their roles in the big land giveaway, and needed development failure in this city. Their next important majority vote will be to move forward with highway widening in Pacifica (which should happen, even though their political careers will likely be threatened by your NIMBY contingent as usual).
759 I'll bet you believe all that. What a cross to bear! Trying to get your message through to all those confused, shouting fools with their
whacky ideas. Peddling propaganda is hard work!
@759 do you see Fix as a particularly fertile place to deploy your city communication plan?
Pay more taxes or do without is the message. And yeah, council needs to find a better way to communicate it quick or we're done as a city. Apparently, Council's efforts have been derailed by a few silly, misguided activists. Go figure.
Yes, city council is out to get you, and you've foiled their nefarious scheme. You're a true hero.
Talk about a cross to bear. Paranoia much?
Boy, this is getting tiring. The city doesn't need more money/taxes or a better way to communicate that Publicemployeeanon. The city needs a way to understand it's not about them, and hasn't been. Bring on ruination, if that's what it takes.
Exactly right Kathy. Council is and has been the force behind most things that happen here both good and bad. For years the NIMBY council of Pete, Jim, Sue and Julie set our path to ruination. We're still trying to break free of those old habits. Highway one modernization will be a good test of if clearer minds prevail or the old NIMBY's like Pete Loeb who want more taxes and are against cutting salaries, still have some power.
Most of the people on this blog need to create a better communication plan. It's like broken record on here.
1155, the fix Pacifica issues are a 30 year broken record. Apparently you're move interested in some kind of personal entertainment, try Patch.
From what I've been reading, Patch isn't going to be around much longer.
Everybody on this blog complained about the last council, and then we voted in a new one (except for Sue the twirly dancer). Now, everyone on this blog complains about the current council.
At a certain point, do you think you might want to look in the mirror?
410, look in the mirror? No, but you should. Maybe you'll see the guy on this article.
What does that even mean?
I'm serious. Is it possible you people just like to complain, no matter what?
We got rid of Vreeland, Lancelle, and Dejarnatt, which was a very good thing, and yet still you whine about the makeup of the council. What is it exactly that you want?
637, what it mean is if you can't figure out that city council isn't moving forward, you are no different than the outsourcing monkey on the article. Start there.
And you may be serious, but your bitching about well reasoned complaints is so much vapid chatter.
Circular firing squad.
Just because we got a better council than before doesn't mean we agree with everything they want/do. Measure V was a prime example of a regressive action doomed to fail because some council were out of touch with citizens. They aren't as dangerous as the old council, and they are definitely more pro growth. They just need a little guidance and help to break the bad habits they learned from the old guard. Those who try to silence free speech by saying we sound like a broken record are trying to maintain the status quo, the good-ole-boy way it was. You don't like complaints? Neither did Jim or Pete.
Patch is just another copy and paste blog.
She only makes like 50 bucks a post.
723, hey at least they're paid. Compare to your free original, anonymous comment. And you are welcome to submit original reporting to this blog, free of course. (See instructions blog upper left).
Most newspapers repeat timely articles or articles of interest-- and original variations of the same information. Some reprinted articles throughout the country are written by Associate Press correspondences. Its all news.
Patch throughout the country includes some well written articles. Pacifica Patch electronic newspaper offers a nice balance of entertainment and news, which tends not to be politically focused and lighter than Fix Pacifica blog (not a newspaper).
Kathy
why would I do YOUR work for you.
Oh wait I forgot, you don't get paid to be on this blog.
849, since for whatever reason you are acting like a dull bulb, lets be clear that human volunteerism exists. People actually participate in volunteer activities everywhere, all over the world. And other volunteer blogs, reference and news sources exist in this city as well. (Pacifica examples: Riptide, Index, Patch, Tribune).
Your comment reconfirms two good points: Others who submit 1) articles and 2) comments with intelligent focus to articles are welcome. YOUR comment otherwise is a waste of time.
Pointing out that your solution is both unrealistic and bad for the city is not "silencing free speech".
Please stop playing the victim like that Duck Dynasty idiot.
854, what's your point, and what are you actually saying?
What can't you understand?
Across the board wage cuts both cannot be implemented and would in fact harm the city. Pointing that out is not "silencing free speech".
1109, but here's another example that your theory may be incorrect. See San Jose Mercury News/Mike Rosenberg, 12/23/13, "Pensions for city workers can't be cut, but pay can, judge rules in major San Jose case." Worth considering, anyhow union negotiations exist. (Mercury News has recently begun charging for digital access, so if that happens use "search site" from Mercury News, that may work).
With the economy starting to turn around, there's no way the unions would go for more wage cuts. Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that it will lead to greatly reduced service as has been described ad nauseum.
Without new revenue, the best options are targeted elimination of positions and services. Cutting with a meat cleaver like most on this blog propose is lazy and just plain stupid.
324 It doesn't matter if the unions "go for wage reductions" they'll have no choice if we're broke (which we are.)
Unions are fading fast. Only about 12% of Americans belong to a union, down from 45% in the 60's. Voters in illinois, San Jose and many other places have overwhelmingly voted to reduce public unions strangling compensation. What do you think the result would be in a Bart "no strike" election? The public is sick of "some" of the spoiled, entitled, ungrateful, over paid, economy killing, city bankrupting public unions.
So yeah the economy is a little better for some, but unemployment rate in Ca is still at 8.7%. Most Pacificans don't get all the perks, privilages and pay as our city staff does. One in three Pacifica families are living below the county poverty level. So I think if it ever comes to a vote we know what voters will say. Now we just need our elected officials to carry out the peoples will.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
"you whine about the makeup of the council. What is it exactly that you want?"
How about a council that doesn't have secret meetings, put out a phony poll, run a sneaky campaign and think they can bullshit voters into falling for a lie?
How's that for a start?
I doubt we've hit the evolutionary ceiling as far as city councils go. Sure hope not. I think this one does understand we're broke, and that no matter how they tweak the budget, we will continue to be broke without major amounts of new revenue fast. IMHO this council also knows that rescue by development is a myth. They've hinted at it but I guess fear of being labeled anti-development scares them. We no longer have the land and we do have some real barriers to profit for any developer of what's left. Meanwhile, this Council approaches the problem as a communications problem--just like a company would. This might be our first "corporate" style council in years--people comfortable with all of today's tools of business backed up by sophisticated senior staff. We've evolved that far. Let's see if they can market, package and sell a tax increase of some sort. It'll be easier after some further deprivations, loss of services, etc. That's the fix. We taxpayers are the only source of fast, stable buckets of cash. The message is pay more or lose.
210 have you been paying attention? The voters just rejected a tax by a 2 to 1 margin. No matter how they "package" it or how many "cuts" in services, voters are not going for more taxes as long as employees make bank.
Meanwhile Linda Mar Blvd is scheduled for resurfacing. So much for putting a hardship on the people.
1016 makes a good point. I had no real problem with any of this latest bunch until Measure V. Actually the way that was handled made me suspicious of the police outsourcing
mess too. Are they inept or sneaky by nature? I think we have one or two councilmembers who have decided anything goes to get their way. People like that don't change.
412 Well, you're a cheap date. Resurfacing long overdue and the money coming from some restricted fund previously budgeted. Meanwhile, salaries going up, cost of benefits going up, expenses going up in general. Revenue? We're the revenue. Just a matter of time til we're asked again. This is an election year so we'll stumble on til next year. Make a few cuts. A little tough love will soften us up. It sure worked at the state level. Hey, what's Jerry doing with that surplus? Reinstating programs he cut to soften up the voters or paying down debt? Maybe a few scraps for us? Oh please sir.
602 You sound like the same person who kept saying there's no way measure v would fail. They had the money and the studies and they've done this dance before.
@412 Might get that old dead cat bounce from cutting a lot of jobs but it's no longterm solution. It will just allow the city to deteriorate more and there will still be no new revenue. It's generally an unsustainable step which is one reason the unions prefer it to cutting wages. There is no development of any significance on the horizon. Biggest bang for the buck will probably come from the proposed HIE expansion and its TOT. How long will that take to get approved and built? Anything else in the pipeline for this decade?
712 Nope, wasn't me. Once that flyer went out the thing was dead. But your past glories aren't going to pay the bills. And money will continue to go out much faster than it comes in. How many years can that go on? Salary cuts were avoided all through the recession. Window closed. Job cuts? How long could we sustain the loss of 5 or 6 mid to senior staff and the loss of programs and services that go with? Or do we go with the lower salaried and cut 10? Who will do the work? How many times would we have to repeat these cuts before we are no longer a city? At some point I'm willing to pay to protect what we have. Council was very sloppy with V. They'll have to step up their game to convince the voters that there is no other choice.
Too late 935, between the deceit of police outsourcing,the fake polls in 2012 & 2013, and the out and out lies used to get measure v passed, voters no longer trust this council (or 3 of them). Now they need ACTIONS to earn back trust. One would be to make some actual pay cuts, not the shell game they've been playing.
1027 Council and the unions will cut jobs and services before they cut salaries. Such tough love kinds of cuts generally end when the voters say Uncle and vote to pay to have services/jobs re-instated. Ask Jerry Brown how that strategy worked for him. While the politicians continue to refuse to admit it, our cash flow problem looks permanent. We simply have no way to increase revenue. Salary cuts and wage freezes are not a solution to a problem of that magnitude.
Post a Comment