Thursday, February 2, 2012

Resource Center funding


Budget meetings will be coming-up soon, remember to fund our Resource Center.

From Pacifica Tribue, Letters-to-the-editor, 1/31/12, "An investment in Pacifica" by Kerstin Connelly

"Editor: What is the most sensible course of action in this current budget crisis for our community? Shall we cut services to the most vulnerable among us by cutting funds to our Resource Center (an agency that helps to feed and serve our elderly, children and unemployed)?
produce mobile
Food programs - daily, weekly, monthly

Each fiscal year the Resource Center receives $83,000 from the city budget. This amount represents a full 25 percent of their funding. Please consider the return they leverage from these funds: the Pacifica Resource Center uses our city funds to bring in over $650,00 in outside funds that directly benefit Pacifica. These funds come in the form of monies for housing, utilities and food assistance that would not otherwise be available to Pacifica. That is nearly an $8 return on our tax dollar! This is an investment that goes right into our community.

They use those funds to provide 250,000 lbs of food to nearly 3,500 residents (that's roughly 10 percent of our population). They also prevent homelessness and shelter to over 100 families. They assist with free tax preparation. They provide Happy Holidays to 258 children through their Adopt-a-Family program and at Thanksgiving serve over 150 Pacifica families. Further, they help the elderly navigate and acquire the senior discounts and affordable housing they deserve. All of this they do with a small staff of four, consisting of a director, a case manager, a direct service manager (who coordinates volunteers) and an office assistant. Due to these tough times, they have seen a 30 percent increase in demand for resources and services in the last year.

Imagine if you will that these safety nets and services be cut. Potential cuts include the elimination of the back to school, Thanksgiving and Adopt-a-Family program. Loss of $160,000 in leveraged resources and nearly 1,000 Pacificans unable to get the vital food, housing and other critical services that help stabilize families and make Pacifica a healthier and safer community.

It is my personal opinion that there is a better solution for the greater good of our community than cutting funding to such a worthwhile organization. I believe we should consider a sliding scale reduction in City employee salaries and a reduction in benefits, which are currently at 100% for employees and their spouses. These ample salaries were increased during the real estate boom time and now need to be reduced to reflect the current financial crisis. This would no doubt be difficult for Pacifica's public employees; however, such a sacrifice would be easier to bare than the hunger that cutting funds to the Resource Center would cause. I hope that our city leaders spare the most vulnerable in our community and serve our city in a spirit of shared sacrifice."   Information website: Pacifica Resource Center.

Posted by Kathy Meeh

7 comments:

Hutch said...

Yes yes yes, we need to reduce these outrageous wages and benefits drastically. Not cut programs to the poor and raise our taxes.

Over 50 city employees making way over $100K plus 10's of 1000's more in benefits. We can't afford it anymore. Sorry to the employees but most of us paying your wages don't get anything close to what you get.

Time to get real folks.

Hutch said...

From the Tribune. 2011 Pacifica employees making over $100,000. The 2nd number is the amount we contribute to their pension.

The fire battalion chief is the highest paid city employee at $204,744 compensation and $12,084 in his pension.
He is followed by the deputy fire chief at $193,383, with $32,871 in his pension.
The city manager is the next highest wage earner at $192,077 compensation, $34,088 in his pension.
Here are the remainder in no particular order. The first number is compensation, the second is pension.
Human resource analyst $104,330, $10,236
Assistant finance director $136,273, $22,232
Finance systems specialist 110,505, $10,669
Finance MIS manager 129,317, $21,157
Police sergeant $153,998, $28,365
Police captain $144,748, $28,692
Police officer $122,185, $22,809
Police corporal $143,752, $24,690
Police sergeant $165,985, $28,620
Police sergeant $162,625, $28,903
Police officer $104,634, $22,064
Police sergeant $133,201, $27,125
Police corporal $145,555,
$23,747
Police systems specialist $110,674, $10,740
Police captain $168,402, $27,271
Police corporeal $128,424, $23,990
Police sergeant $132,626, $25,080
Police sergeant $157,592, $29,040
Police corporeal $129,950, $23,150
Public safety dispatcher $107,834, $7,525
Police corporeal $137,352, $24,895
Police officer $118,439, $22,107
Police officer $122,888, $22,446
Police officer $116,067, $20,486
Police officer $112,401, $20,389
Police corporeal $121,224, $21,266
Police officer $112,111, $19,886
Police officer $125,076, $21,212
Police officer $124,807, $20,112
Police officer $105,808, $18,843
Police officer $113,796, $18,988
Police officer $112,339, $19,330
Police officer $113,543, $20,229
Police officer $112, 437, $17,446
Police sergeant $168,616, $28,638
Police captain $157,513, $34,042
Police sergeant $147,821, $29,040
Police chief $160,384, $34,734
Paramedic coordinator $172,389, $30,022
Fire Captain $133878, $22,138
Deputy fire chief $193,383, $32,871
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $108,426, $19,223
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $112,885, $18,850
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $122,374, $18,734
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $107,815, $16,835
Fire battalion chief $204,744, $12,084
Fire battalion chief $178,921, $24,973
Paramedic, engineer/EMT $101,305, $17,632
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $101,714, $18,865
Fire captain $136,825, $20,899
Fire captain $136,059, $22,183
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $101,388, $17,499
Fire battalion chief $185,387, $16,217
Fire captain $114,889, $20,483
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $113,042, $18,360
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $102,617, $18,402
Fire captain $127,480, $20,361
Paramedic/engineer/EMT $115,404, $18,321
Wastewater assistant superintendent $133,337, $22,206
Public Works supervisor $109,376, $10,814
Associate civil engineer $109,441, $19,544
Wastewater source control inspector $113,729, $10,2114
Associate planner $101,590, $17,202
Associate civil engineer $110,627, $19,544
Public works supervisor $111,689, $10,775
Field services manager $151,691, $24,209
Associate civil engineer $103396, $17,498
Public Works superintendent $126,897, $20,685
Wastewater plant manager $166,635, $24,503
Director of Planning/city planner $144,602, $25,967
Director wastewater/plant operator $140,638, $25,480
Wastewater collections manager $135,022, $23,864
Public works superintendent $162,209, $21,448
Wastewater operator II $107,715, $10,337
Wastewater operator III $142,945, $11,908
Associate civil engineer $109,518, $19,348
Director of Public Works/city engineer $167,920, $30,245
Wastewater operator III $160,704, $10,978
Wastewater operator II $135,616, $10,760
Wastewater laboratory tech $100,033, $8,863
Wastewater laboratory supervisor $112,680, $10,763
Fire captain $151,571, $21,726
Wastewater operator II $136,296, $11,149
Wastewater operator III $134,973, $9,993
City clerk/executive assistant $117,102/$19,033
Director of Parks, Beaches and Recreation $148,227, $27,119

Add to that:
13 making $90K+
12 $80K+
19 $70K +
19 $60K+

Kathy Meeh said...

.."Not cut programs to the poor.."

Hutch, we sure agree on this one. Also, Kerstin Connelly wrote an educational LTE. Description of one small service provided, "Payday lending project:"

"The City of Pacifica has the highest number of payday lenders per capita than any other city in San Mateo County. As a result, the City Council approved a 2 year moratorium on new payday lenders in Pacifica. Payday lenders charge $45 to borrow $255, or nearly 470% interest, for a 2 week loan. We can offer services and support to avoid the use of a payday loan, and are also launching a pilot project to help Pacificans pay off payday loans and save money so they can borrow from themselves and avoid these outrageous fees. Only requirement for the pilot project…you have a payday loan now and want to get out from under it."

Hutch said...

Yeah Kathy, those loan sharks really take advantage of the underprivileged. Glad the city put a moratorium on any new ones opening.

Hutch said...

I don't really understand the budget task force and the city council deciding to put the Resource center on the chopping block but not their high paid friends in the city?

Oh wait, I do understand that.

Anonymous said...

Doubt these were the lenders of choice for city employees. Glad the Resource Center is putting program in place to break the hold these places have on the working poor and others with few resources and perhaps poor money mngmt skills.

Anonymous said...

Just a reminder...about 90 employees or over half of our city employees make over $100,000 per year. Another 63 make between $60,000 and $100,000. This is a pretty expensive bunch of people. And Pacifica taxpayers are obligated in most cases for life...theirs and ours. Majority of the jobs are not management or professional class. Below these groups are mostly kids and PTers.

It's an upside down pyramid. Make all the excuses you want for as long as you can, but those things always topple over.