Councilor vs. Unions Continues

[DowntownNow]

Councilor Bill Martinson, following last Thursday's budget discussion and presentation, has submitted a press release regarding the recent publicity mounted by the Fire and Police unions.  Martinson could not have done a better job of explaining his position than he does in this press release - taking a very matter of fact approach to the budget dilemma while looking after the best interests of Tulsa.  At the very end is the tell-tale sign of how willing the Unions are to look after the best interests of the City and not themselves...shame they make priorty #1 themselves, and not the rest of us.

As reported this evening on News Channel 8:

Councilor vs. Unions Continues   
posted 1:54 pm Wed June 24, 2009 - Tulsa from NewsChannel 8 - http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0609/634712.html

The war of words continues between a Tulsa city councilor and the unions for the fire and police departments.

District 5 city councilor Bill Martinson recently issued a budget report that argues there is excessive spending on personnel. It was met by fierce criticism from both the presidents of the local police and fire unions.

Now, Martinson is firing back. In a press release, Martinson said he found a press release from FOP President Phil Evans 'disturbing' and that the city's public safety departments "operate with impunity when it comes to their union members; deciding which laws to obey or what information they feel inclined to disclose."

Martinson's full press release can be read below:

On Saturday, Phillip Evans, President of the Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police, issued a press release challenging the presentation I made to the City Council on Thursday, June 18th concerning the City's budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. I found the content disturbing, especially considering the importance and sensitivity of Public Safety to the community.

Tulsa is facing a budget crisis.  Our sales tax collections for the last three months are $3.1 million less than during the same period a year ago.  Should this trend continue, Tulsa will be facing a revenue shortfall of $10 million to $12 million compared to the budget the Mayor submitted to the Council on April 28th. The proposals the Mayor presented to deal with this situation fall well short of the mark.

As I stated to both Chief LaCroix and Chief Palmer on Thursday night, my intent was not to attack, but rather to prepare both departments for a drastic decline in funding dictated by economic reality.  Since Police and Fire have managed to consume 100% of our sales tax operating revenue, I feel they must be prepared to adjust their operating structure to keep expenses in line with those revenues. My proposal Thursday night accomplished just that.  The choices were theirs to make and, despite the budget approved by the Council and their hopes to the contrary, they may still face those choices and sooner than they think.

We have a system run amuck when our two public safety departments operate with impunity when it comes to their union members; deciding which laws to obey or what information they feel inclined to disclose.

The public safety unions have done a masterful job of dictating policy. This needs to stop and elected officials must assume responsibility for the Citizens.

The unions, Administration, and certain City Councilors argue that the only option in reduced funding is to reduce staffing.  This is true only if they wish it to be.  They, not I, nor the other three Councilors voting against the Mayor's budget view the issue with such limited perspective; a limited perspective certain to instill fear in the citizens and union members and sure to divide the City.  Extreme measures can often be avoided with sufficient planning.  For example, it is not unusual for the City to re-negotiate contract terms, and while I have not been a party to any of the pending contract negotiations, prudent business practice would be to include language allowing for a revision in compensation structure, including perks, should conditions so dictate. If a relief provision is not incorporated in the agreements, one must wonder why, or one must ask why protecting certain union paychecks is more important than protecting the City. This intransigent position also protects some union members at the expense of others - so much for the concept of brotherhood.  The issue is with the unions, not with the individual cop or fireman.  Appropriately, the rank and file focuses on fighting crime or fire, not reading financial statements.  However, when they are misled, all are done a disservice.  Look at the fates of the railroads, steel industry, certain airlines and automobile manufacturers, and the recent bankruptcy of city of Vallejo, California, if you doubt the catastrophic potential of uncompromising union leadership and weak management.

Before addressing the issue of compensation and staffing, I must respond to the charge that available data were "hidden" from my presentation.  We attempted to conduct a thorough analysis and began gathering data several months ago and focused on information that was objective and in the public domain.  Since we considered transparency and objectivity paramount, one of our sources of information was the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports that seem to provide the most reliable and consistent reports.  The statistics for 2007 were the most recent available when we assembled that portion of our analysis.  Mr. Evans states in his press release that the data for 2008 were available, and that in 2008 Tulsa experienced 4,992 violent crimes.  Granted, preliminary 2008 data were just released by the FBI on June 1st but they differ from the data cited by Mr. Evans.  Although common sense would dictate some inverse correlation between crime rates and staffing levels, that is one analysis we could not run since manpower levels have remained relatively stable despite significant funding increases.

Mr. Evans and the FOP consistently and conveniently refer to the "universe of comparable cities" as the benchmark for determining compensation.  For years, this approach has enabled the FOP in Tulsa and the unions in the other participating cities to leverage off each other to increase compensation for their members. Mr. Evans refers to this comparison as a tactic and indeed, it is just that, a tactic to influence compensation levels for HIS union members to the detriment of all other city employees and the public.

The FOP allegation that a substantial reduction in funding is an active "attempt to get rid of 20% of public safety officers from both Police and Fire service" is inflammatory, untrue and self-serving.  Police and Fire budgets have consumed an increasing share of our operating revenue.  Funding for those two departments has increased over $37 million per year from 2000 to 2009.  In the Mayor's budget approved by the Council last Thursday, they will now consume more than 100% of the 2 cent sales tax Tulsa depends on to fund many other services including code enforcement, maintenance and parks.  Contrary to their persistent cries for more manpower, the Police and Fire unions have parlayed this unabated 35% increase in funding into fewer positions rather than more.  Not only have the unions successfully negotiated with the Administration to utilize the additional funding to enrich their members rather than increase staffing to serve the City, but the Mayor, Chief Palmer, and the FOP have all ignored Tulsa's ordinance pertaining to take home vehicles. With a take home car for every officer, coupled with their 4 day work week and the fact that less than 50% of our Police officers live in the City, the total cost and potential savings relating to vehicles alone is staggering.  How many officers are patrolling at peak times? We know the 4-day workweek increases the number of necessary vehicles. How are Tulsa citizens any safer with our patrol cars parked in Owasso, Collinsville, Bixby, Broken Arrow, etc, etc, etc?

Firefighters receive premium pay for EMT certification.  Following a report from the Oklahoma State Department of Health that cited falsification of EMT training records, the City Council directed the City Auditor to investigate the implications, including those relating to funding and compensation.  In a report dated yesterday, June 22, 2009, the Auditor, states that the president of the Firefighters' Union informed the Office of the City Auditor that his membership was instructed not to respond to the Auditor's questionnaire except to state whether or not they were an EMT.  As a result, "The City Auditor is effectively obstructed from efficiently gathering information necessary for completion of the Special Project".  So much for accountability

[DowntownNow]

The national recession gives the unions something to worry about and backs up Martinson's warning.

Reported on MSNBC.com tonight.

Even cops losing their jobs in recession
Some worry that criminals will take advantage of the situation

updated 5:43 p.m. CT, Wed., June 24, 2009
CHICAGO - As hundreds of jobs in Chicago's police department go unfilled, officers who once patrolled the streets with partners are riding alone in what some cops bitterly call "rolling coffins."

In a Pennsylvania town that disbanded its three-member police force, Anita Gricar worries that officers from the neighboring town won't come fast enough if she calls for help. She also misses the comfort that came from having officers who knew everyone and everything about Versailles, Pa., population 1,700.

"They knew your house, they knew when your tomatoes are red," Gricar said.

This is what the nation's economic crisis looks like in law enforcement. As tax revenue shrivels, police agencies that for years were bulletproof when it came to funding are tightening their belts. Some worry that criminals will take advantage of the situation.

"There are consequences for every cut that is made. With the recession, people out of work, criminal offenses are going to go up ... immediately," said Steve Dye, an assistant police chief in Garland, Texas, and an International Association of Chiefs of Police official.

Unclear how many jobs lost

Exactly how many officers are losing their jobs and how many positions are going unfilled are unclear. But one after another, departments are telling the International Association of Chiefs of Police that officers are being laid off or taking furloughs, positions are being left vacant, and police forces are closing or consolidating.

"I've been in law enforcement for 25 years and if you would have talked about laying off policemen, people would not have believed you," Dye said.

The cuts come as police departments are being asked to take on more responsibilities, such as investigating domestic terrorism, said John Firman, director of research for the police chiefs association.

There is some help on the way, in the form of federal stimulus money, but the need may far outstrip the aid. For example, the $1 billion that the Justice Department's Community Oriented Policing Services received to hire officers nationwide is less than one-eighth of the money agencies requested, said Fred Wilson, director of operations at the National Sheriffs' Association.

In the Southern California community of El Monte, dominated by huge car dealerships, the police department laid off 17 of its 148 officers as three of the dealerships went under and sales at the others plummeted, reducing the town's tax revenue.

In Chicago, with a police force of about 13,000, the number of vacancies has climbed to more than 400 since January 2008 because the department is not hiring to keep up with the number of officers who leave. The city could be down 800 officers by the end of the year, said Mark Donahue, president of the police union.

'At risk in one-man cars'

The danger of one-person squad cars was seen last summer in Chicago when Officer Richard Francis, riding alone, responded to a disturbance involving a mentally ill woman. During a struggle, the woman allegedly grabbed Francis' gun and killed the 27-year veteran.

"On calls like the one he was responding to at the time, they are being put at risk in one-man cars," Donahue said.

Also, more cops are being attacked on the streets, and police say that is because they can no longer flood the scene with officers when they respond to a call. The number of incidents of battery against a police officer in Chicago rose from 2,677 to 3,158 between 2007 and 2008, according to department statistics.

In Broward County, Fla., Sheriff Al Lamberti worries that attacks by inmates on deputies and each other will increase because he must lay off 68 of his 1,500 jail deputies. In addition, 100 civilians are being laid off at the county's jails, which house about 5,000 people.

In addition, he has eliminated jail programs that, among other things, help inmates overcome addiction and stop beating their kids. 

"We are at the point where we are literally out of options," Lamberti said. "I never thought in a million years this would happen."

Many programs at risk

In El Monte, layoffs forced the department to shut down programs such as one in which officers served as mentors to young people likely to get into trouble.

"Now we're going to be responding when a kid slaps his mom instead of having him in a program where they can teach him to respect his parents," said Lt. Charles Carlson.

In Kansas City, Mo., only 45 police officer jobs have gone unfilled, but there is a very real possibility that the 31 cadets scheduled to graduate in August will be laid off before they can even start work.

"And we may not be able to have another academy class until 2011," said Maj. David Zimmerman.

[Wilbur]

From Martinson's press release:

Mr. Evans and the FOP consistently and conveniently refer to the "universe of comparable cities" as the benchmark for determining compensation.  For years, this approach has enabled the FOP in Tulsa and the unions in the other participating cities to leverage off each other to increase compensation for their members. Mr. Evans refers to this comparison as a tactic and indeed, it is just that, a tactic to influence compensation levels for HIS union members to the detriment of all other city employees and the public.

Martinson does not want to get into an "our police officers are paid too much" battle, because he will lose at every turn.

He blasts the list of comparable cities, but fails to mention his city's administration helped come up with the list of cities, fails to mention Tulsa has NEVER even been paid the average of those cities, and fails to mention Tulsa has always drudged the bottom of the list when it comes to pay.

He also fails to mention the other comparable city's administrations love having Tulsa on the list since we drag the average pay DOWN, not up.

Once again, using selective facts.

[cannon_fodder]

Martinson does not want to get into an "our police officers are paid too much" battle, because he will lose at every turn.

Here's a selective fact:

Average Salary and Benefits cost for the Tulsa Police Department:  $84,569   

Fire Department: $78,206

All other city departments: $52,566

Average Tulsan: $37,140  (BLS number, May 2008)

How many companies in Tulsa have 800 people with an average compensation over $80,000?  Not very many.
- - - -

Now, I know police officers aren't rich. But they earn a are very comfortable living.  More than twice that of the Average Tulsan.    Health insurance, retirement, injury leave, maternity leave, vacation, free transit to and from work, and relative job security are amazing perks.  And apparently the benefit package, retirement,  and other benefits really add up. Either that or people at the top are making a BOAT LOAD of money or there is a huge amount of waste in the department.  A household of 2 TPD officers would make more than $100,000 a year plus full benefits and retirement . . . good enough for the top 10-15% of households in the United States (counting benefits the value is in the top 5%) .

Those are damn good jobs.  As well they should be.  The reason police get paid well is because it should demand intelligence, patience, training, skill and integrity.  Add to the requirement list dealing with jerks and working odd hours.  I want good people doing the job and understand why they are paid well (same as a company wanting good people).

But the numbers either indicate that they are good paying jobs ($42,270 mean salary is the national average), or that there is an amazing amount of waste.  You can compare TPD with other police departments and drag all the numbers out you want, but it still appears to be a job people would be and are happy to have.
- - -

And he raises other good points:

35% increase over the last 9 years?  Less man power to show for the increase in funding.  Less than 50% living in Tulsa.  Free transportation to and from the suburbs. 

And the biggest concern:  refusing to make some sort of pay concession and then accusing the City of forcing them to fire officers.   It is simply better for most FOP members to simply drop the low men on the totem (that taxpayers trained) and move on.  It is better for the Union, plain and simple.

So who or what should the City do to protect the Police salaries?  Should they fire more employees from other departments?  Should they tax people in Tulsa who still have jobs (the VAST majority of whom make less than the officers a new tax would support)?

The fact of the matter is the money is not there.  When asked to do as much with less the FOP acts offended where other departments just have to make due.  Of course no one thinks cutting funding for the police is a good thing, but neither is a department that thinks it can spend whatever it wants and is immune from scrutiny or budget shortfalls.

News flash:  budget shortfalls are coming.  Tighten the belt or get ready to fire union members.  Currently, the smart money is on the TPD firing Officers.  Which is bad for those Officers, bad for the City of Tulsa, and in the long run bad for the Police. 

Why isn't there a willingness to try and find a solution to keep those guys on staff:  pay cuts, increased vacation time, deferred pay or benefits . . . certainly there has to be SOME wiggle room.

[pmcalk]

The salaries that Martinson cites to--where did those come from?  I am curious how accurate they are. 

From the City of Tulsa website, Firefighters make around $34,000 to $55,000 per year.

http://www.cityoftulsa.org/public-safety/fire/employment/salary-information.aspx

For Police Officers, there is a pretty wide range:

$43,000 to $113,000

http://www.tulsapolice.org/recruiting/salary_benefits.html

A better number for comparison purposes would be the median, not the average, salary.
Personally, I think that firefighters and police officers SHOULD be paid more than average.  Keep in mind that the BLS figure takes into account ALL jobs.  A better comparison would be jobs for which a BA is required.

[PonderInc]

Remember, there's a difference between salary and "cost of salary + benefits."

When you start adding in free cars, fuel, uniforms, training, insurance, overtime, PTO, pension, retirement benefits (such as insurance for retirees), etc.... I bet the "cost" is closer to double the salary.  But I don't really know.  Just a guess.

[Chicken Little]

Here's a selective fact:

Average Salary and Benefits cost for the Tulsa Police Department:  $84,569   

Fire Department: $78,206

All other city departments: $52,566

Average Tulsan: $37,140  (BLS number, May 2008)

That's an annual average salary, cf, not salary and benefits.  From the BLS, June 10, 2009

In March 2009, private industry employer compensation costs averaged $27.46 per hour worked.  Wages and salaries
averaged $19.45 per hour (70.8 percent), while benefits averaged $8.02 (29.2 percent).

So, take that $37,140 and divide by .708 and you get $52,457 as an estimate of salary and benefits...that's more apples to apples.

For the benefit of the community, here's a link to CF's source.

[cannon_fodder]

That's an annual average salary, cf, not salary and benefits.  From the BLS, June 10, 2009
So, take that $37,140 and divide by .708 and you get $52,457 as an estimate of salary and benefits...that's more apples to apples.

For the benefit of the community, here's a link to CF's source.

Thank you for the correction.    I admit to grabbing statistics rather quickly when I pull them for such purposes. That is a much better number Chicken Little.  I apologize if it seemed I was trying to mislead.

Nonetheless, I believe my point stands.

[FOTD]

Sparty, Thanx for the education.

Appears the gun nuts understood when buying all those guns after 11-4-08 that the banking crisis would lead to a bad economy and the subsequent inability to retain a large police force. The devil never gave the NRA credit for understanding gun nuts were not stocking up out of fear.

But please keep in mind the danger the police and firemen face and the stress it causes (-know you do). Especially, should there be fewer and fewer of their teams on our streets. The Tulsa Police have good attitudes. That could be changed by events. You get what you pay for.

This devil is still amazed that the voters prefer such things as ballpark and arena maintenance over public safety and public education. In difficult times, absurd past government actions for what becomes their future commitments appear to be the real culprit.

[Wilbur]

Lets look at facts:

The average salary of a Tulsa police officer falls between $48K and $65K.  Take the city's own numbers; salary schedule and number of sworn positions in each rank:

http://www.cityoftulsa.org/media/19339/section03departmenthighlights.pdf (scroll down to page 3-9)
http://www.tulsapolice.org/recruiting/salary_benefits.html

I calculated this and put each rank in the lowest pay scale and the highest pay scale possible (Not all are in the lowest and not all are in the highest.  I don't know how many fall within each of the approximately 10-pay steps) and you come up with the above numbers.

Now, do these college educated professionals make more then the average city employee?  Yep.  Job requirements are higher.  Do these college educated professional employees make more then the average Tulsa citizen?  Yep.  Do most other college educated professionals, regardless of job, make more then the average city employee or citizen?  Yep. That's generally how that works.

Next, how do most companies come up with a salary and benefits package?  Thay look at the market.  See what they can offer to attract the best employees.  Where do cities look when coming up with salary and benefits to offer police officers?  They look around at other comparable cities and job duties and see what they offer, then come up with something similar.  Does Tulsa do this?  Yep.  The city of Tulsa and the FOP have agreed to the 10 cities to use, who are similar in size and comparable ranks.  Where do Tulsa officers fall with salary?  Flat last.  Who of the 10 cities has the highest hiring requirements?  Tulsa.

[Red Arrow]

Lets look at facts:

The average salary of a Tulsa police officer falls between $48K and $65K.  Take the city's own numbers; salary schedule and number of sworn positions in each rank:

http://www.cityoftulsa.org/media/19339/section03departmenthighlights.pdf (scroll down to page 3-9)
http://www.tulsapolice.org/recruiting/salary_benefits.html

I calculated this and put each rank in the lowest pay scale and the highest pay scale possible (Not all are in the lowest and not all are in the highest.  I don't know how many fall within each of the approximately 10-pay steps) and you come up with the above numbers.

Now, do these college educated professionals make more then the average city employee?  Yep.  Job requirements are higher.  Do these college educated professional employees make more then the average Tulsa citizen?  Yep.  Do most other college educated professionals, regardless of job, make more then the average city employee or citizen?  Yep. That's generally how that works.

Next, how do most companies come up with a salary and benefits package?  Thay look at the market.  See what they can offer to attract the best employees.  Where do cities look when coming up with salary and benefits to offer police officers?  They look around at other comparable cities and job duties and see what they offer, then come up with something similar.  Does Tulsa do this?  Yep.  The city of Tulsa and the FOP have agreed to the 10 cities to use, who are similar in size and comparable ranks.  Where do Tulsa officers fall with salary?  Flat last.  Who of the 10 cities has the highest hiring requirements?  Tulsa.

You  obviously have reason(s) other than money to be in Tulsa.  Something is right about Tulsa for you.  What is it?  Just curious.

[cannon_fodder]

Lets look at facts:

The average salary of a Tulsa police officer falls between $48K and $65K.  Take the city's own numbers; salary schedule and number of sworn positions in each rank:

So the average officer has somewhere between $40,000 and $23,000 in benefits?  I'm not trying to be obtuse, just trying to reconcile the two numbers.   But yes, I agree a police officer (who in Tulsa is college educated) should make more than Joe Blow.

My basic contention was that they are well compensated individuals and the issue of layoffs is in their court.  The money simply isn't there and everyone has to make cuts.  I heard on the radio this AM that the FOP is planning on some sort of 3% compensation reduction to keep officers on staff.  Which is in line with other agencies.

[pmcalk]

So the average officer has somewhere between $40,000 and $23,000 in benefits?  I'm not trying to be obtuse, just trying to reconcile the two numbers.   But yes, I agree a police officer (who in Tulsa is college educated) should make more than Joe Blow.

My basic contention was that they are well compensated individuals and the issue of layoffs is in their court.  The money simply isn't there and everyone has to make cuts.  I heard on the radio this AM that the FOP is planning on some sort of 3% compensation reduction to keep officers on staff.  Which is in line with other agencies.

According to Martinson's presentation (which I have only read--he may have mentioned other things), he takes the average pay of a police corporal (one higher up than just a regular police officer) which is around $66,000, and adds to that overtime (don't know where that comes from), value of the take home car, longevity pay (it presumes someone has been with the police force for 8 years.  So a realistic comparison of salaries would include someone with a bachelor's degree who has been with the company for 8 years or more), and $ for a bachelor's degree.  That brings the salary up to $75, 782.  From that, he bumps the number up to around $84,000, so I am guessing that the cost of health insurance, life insurance, etc.... is around $9,000, which sounds about right.

I don't argue that everyone has to make cuts.  What bugs me is that Martinson seems to be painting the police and firefighters as getting a windfall, salaries that are completely out of line (and the fault of the unions).  The truth is, for a person with a bachelor's degree working at a high-risk job for eight years or more, I think that the salary is about right.

[Conan71]

I don't argue that everyone has to make cuts.  What bugs me is that Martinson seems to be painting the police and firefighters as getting a windfall, salaries that are completely out of line (and the fault of the unions).  The truth is, for a person with a bachelor's degree working at a high-risk job for eight years or more, I think that the salary is about right.

I can't say I disagree with your post at all.

Pay should be commensurate with skill, risk, AND overall benefit to the community.  Fire and police protection are expected services from municipal government.  There's got to be some redundant positions in city administration (IT, accounting, planning, general bureaucracy, etc.) which do not affect citizens at street level which could be consolidated.  That's where a fair amount of government waste is hidden.

[Wilbur]

According to Martinson's presentation (which I have only read--he may have mentioned other things), he takes the average pay of a police corporal (one higher up than just a regular police officer) which is around $66,000, and adds to that overtime (don't know where that comes from), value of the take home car, longevity pay (it presumes someone has been with the police force for 8 years.  So a realistic comparison of salaries would include someone with a bachelor's degree who has been with the company for 8 years or more), and $ for a bachelor's degree.  That brings the salary up to $75, 782.  From that, he bumps the number up to around $84,000, so I am guessing that the cost of health insurance, life insurance, etc.... is around $9,000, which sounds about right.

I don't argue that everyone has to make cuts.  What bugs me is that Martinson seems to be painting the police and firefighters as getting a windfall, salaries that are completely out of line (and the fault of the unions).  The truth is, for a person with a bachelor's degree working at a high-risk job for eight years or more, I think that the salary is about right.

I haven't looked at Martinson's numbers, but, if what you say is true, then those numbers are not correct.  There are 200 officers in 'rank' positions (corporal, sergeant, captain, major and deputy chief) and 600 officers with no rank.  You have 300% more people making less then the position he is quoting and using for an average.

And you can't count overtime in the total, as there is no 'right' to overtime and plenty of people who earn zero in overtime.  Like wise, I have a difficult time counting the take home car (but confident I'll get an argument).  All officers are forced to be on call.  If you want a slow response to emergencies, then take the car away.  They also provide a criminal deterrent, and how do you count that benefit to the neighborhoods?  The take home car is more of a benefit to the city then the other way around.

Benefits on top of a corporals pay will be about $16K, maybe slightly higher, and include retirement (what most employers pay in social security), workers comp, medical, dental and life insurance (that's it.  No 401k benefits, never a bonus, no stock options, no nothing else).  Higher ranks will be higher and lower ranks will be lower.