November 22, 2009
What's Inside:
City workers criticize budget
When the city splits up its annual budget, someone always asks for a bigger share.
The city’s own employees have been the most persistent critics of the $130 million budget. The council will vote on the budget Monday.
City Employees United formed this spring, with the stated goal of improving communication between city employees and the staff and council members who establish city policy. Representatives from the group have spoken at City Council meetings, discussed policy with other employees and took their message to the street in a parade.
Specifically, the group wants the city to rein in spending so it can devote more funds to employee salaries and benefits.
In a letter given to council members and the media last month, the group pointed to a half-cent sales tax St. Joseph residents approved in April 2001, under the impression that revenue would be used to bring employee benefits and salaries up to an “acceptable” level. More than 200 city employees signed the letter.
“It is ironic how every year at budget time, we have to listen to the City Council say there is no money to pay our employees a fair wage,” the letter said. “Yet when special projects arise, the council has no problem finding extra money.”
The group particularly objects to the 50-plus employees hired since the sales tax was implemented in 2001.
The proposed 2009-10 budget would have added another 11 positions — 17 if six police officers that could be funded by a federal grant are counted — before council members decided to cut four of the new positions during budget negotiations in May.
Once again, employees will not receive pay raises promised in the pay matrix implemented alongside the voter-approved sales tax. The city has estimated it would cost about $1 million to reinstitute the matrix, with costs rising each successive year.
Shawn Henderson, spokesman for City Employees United, spoke with employees before the council began budget deliberations to warn them of the situation ahead. Many were concerned about the lack of pay raises, combined with increased health insurance costs.
“If you can’t take care of the people you have, it doesn’t make sense to add more,” Mr. Henderson said. “If this was a private business, we would be going bankrupt.”
The city’s budget will exceed $130 million in 2010, up from $110 million in the previous fiscal year. The increase will come from the sale of $45 million in bonds related to the city’s Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan.
Clinton Thomas can be reached
at clintonthomas@npgco.com.
This story has 13 comments. Click here to join in on the discussion.
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I am a city employee, & I do not want it to sound like the employees are crying, We all understand the economy, but the economy was just fine in 2005 when the council abandoned the employee pay matrix, the very matrix that citizens were told would fix the employee benefit problems in 2001.
The employees are more upset with the council & the city manager for giving money away year after year, and not taking care of the current employees like was pledged with the 2001 sales tax increase!
i am not involved in this except to say that i agree, the only way to keep quality employee,s is to pay them for what they are worth. my uncle and cousin both worked for the city and they both did the best they could. they were on the low end of the pay scale but did there job to the best there ability. i think in every orginasation you have your slackers, and those who are leaning on the shovel are still thinking about there job.they should get there pay raises to bring them up tp par with most other workers in this town.
First of all the "matrix" was a flawed idea. It was lake woebegone where all the kids are above average kind of proposition. Second it was the brainchild of the prior council and this council is not required to stick to it and they didn't. Third paying employees and giving them raises is not the only job of the city. Last, the matrix was adopted before the sale tax vote.
well mr henderson and his band of one third of city employees need to be real. just because one puts on a suit and comes to council meetings [mr henderson] does not make him an advocate for all. heck he drawing a cops pension working as a fireman and i'm sure he still is a security guard or doing something on the side so he is making 65-70k a year working for the city 24 on 48 off. but he is a complainer and he got the ear of the NPG.
Speaking of spreading lies and untruths....
..and fomenting public discord through "propaganda."
First the pay matrix was put into effect with the sales tax, actually nearly a year after it, not before. The idea was made before but it was not implemented then.
Second, I know very few city employees even after 20 years which are not making 65K, try starting yearly salaries like 22K-29K, and $1200 for family health insurance per month.
I wish that City Employees United would stop trying to portray that they are representing all City employees. I am a city employee and I do not agree with anything that the City employees united is doing. The group is made up of police, fire, and water pollution employees who already have unions! Please stop trying to drag innocent city employees into your out of control group and go back to your own unions. Most employees do not agree with you and it's sad that the news-press paints a picture that this group represents all city employees. Be happy that you even have a job and stop trying to be so money hungry and greedy.
Why is the News-Press so concerned about the unions problems and not questioning or detailing the 130 million budget that the council is proposing up to 130 mil from 98mil in two years WOW . ...sounds like something the News Press would over look... or maybe they cant find the detailed budget from two years ago.
Matt,
The budget increase that you referred to comes from the sale of $45 million in sewer bonds. It's in the last paragraph of this story. This money will be spent on the combined sewer overflow problem, which has been in our paper on numerous occasions.