These officers will go without a scheduled pay raise this year. Press file photo
The change to the police officers contract comes after a couple of months of talks between union heads and city administrators, who had announced their intention to lay off six officers, two sergeants, and one captain.
Those cuts are no longer necessary though.
Officers were scheduled to get a 5-percent pay hike in July on top of the 5-percent raise they received last summer, a wage increase that appeared to cause ripples of discontent as other city workers were laid off and forced to take unpaid days off.
A majority of the 85-member union also voted to cut retirement benefits for new officers that are hired. Instead of being able to retire with up to 90-percent of their salary at age 50, new officers will be able to retire with up to 90 percent of their salary at age 55, the same retirement package that Tracy firefighters have.
The union also agreed to extend their contract through fiscal year 2011-12 with no extra benefits.
City managers are trying to save money in the face of a projected $9 million budget deficit.
Tracy pays 100 percent of the retirement costs for all its workers, which costs the city about $9 million a year. It’s also pays $1,200 per month per employee for health insurance, an annual $6.2 million cost, and gives each full-time employee a minimum of 37 paid days off a year, including sick leave.
The changes to the police officers’ contract “balances the recognized public safety concerns while being sensitive to the City’s fiscal situation and the community’s economic hardships,” said Sgt. Alex Neicu in a press release on behalf of the union.
City administrators seemed pleased as well.
“I think it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Finance Director Zane Johnston. “The raise was huge, because that’s a lot of money.”
Contact a Tracy Press reporter or editor at 835-3030 or tpnews@tracypress.com.
Money is being flushed to other parts of the world without seeing that every American is fed, clothed and roof over their heads.
So proud of these front line people!!!
CN
And our city leaders can look us in the eye and smile and say that they got us through this budget crisis without cutting the number of officers on the street. True in the simplest of terms, but remember: (1) the police union is who saved the day here and (2) the cuts in the support staff will reduce the availability of partol officers on the street where we need them.
When they lay off Community Service Officers, Animal Control Officers and Crime Scene Technicians, the patrol officers will be the ones who (1) take more reports (2) spend time collecting evidence (3) respond to animal calls.
That's not a very efficient use of Police manpower and would be considered a giant step BACKWARDS for most police departments. But this is what the city leaders have forced our Chief to do.
Yeah, I know....it's the economy.
I am so grateful for EMS, Fire and PD. Thank you all!!!
To all of you who b*tch about them. Just wait. When you are sitting in a car waiting to be cut out and they are there helping you. You will never forget it. When you loved one has a heartattack and they are doing CPR. You'll never forget it. When...well the list goes on. I hope to God you people are never in that situation. But I guess it might take on of those situations to happen to you for you to see the light.
Thank you for all you do Tracy PD and Tracy Fire!