It's Your Money

 We are constantly asked why we are spending so much time and newsprint criticizing the personnel policies and costs associated with our excellent Martin County Fire/Rescue Service. We do so because those policies are dictated by their International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) contract that must eventually be changed to bring sanity and sustainability to the County’s personnel budget. For over 6 years that cover 2 IAFF contracts, one contract extension and last year’s 41 new hires we have been calling ever louder for fiscal restraint by the Commissioners. The evidence of our lack of success is embodied in the just released list of those County employees earning over $100,000 in gross pay for 2009. In all of Martin County Government there were 109 individuals in this “club” – and 89 of them are Firefighters. Fifty three Firefighters made over $120,000 – and in this group are the 13 highest paid Martin County employees last year. These 13 individuals averaged over $150,000 each with the Chief that departed several months ago taking home almost $183,000.

The following are selected reprints from our Stuart News In Your Corner articles

March 2003

“…Both union and management have heard and read … that the County expects a decrease in revenue in the coming years. … Despite these facts, the Firefighters have requested what amounts to a 13% wage increase each year or a compounded amount of 42.3% over a three-year period. … Total salary and benefits for this bargaining unit amounts to $15,667,000 annually, so each 1% requested by the union represents a spending increase of $156,670 for taxpayers. The Commissioners should reject outright the IAFF proposal and direct the County Administrators to formulate a counter-proposal that more reasonably reflects the wage policies and work schedules (of) other county departments.

May 2005

“… Compensation for specific (Fire/EMS) jobs should be checked, periodically, by area wage surveys, and these statistics should include both salary and benefits costs which constitute the "total package".  Markets … should be selected not only for proximity to Martin County, but also for similar cost-of-living factors and demographics.  …To come to contract negotiations with anything less is a disservice to all citizens, as personal services (wages, and benefits) comprise over 80% of the county budget.  To allow the union to do so … pick for comparison only those elements of another jurisdiction's programs that are most favorable and ignore the total package…”

July 2006

“… In the six years, since the beginning of the first (IAFF) contract the average gross take home pay … has increased by almost 70%, from $43,200 per year to approximately $75,000 per year, for what can, in reality, be a two day workweek. Likewise, average benefit costs have increased over 50%. Current negotiations for the next three-year contract are near completion with across the board wage increases projected to be in excess of 10% (5% COLA, 5% step increase plus other miscellaneous benefits) per year for EACH of the next three years. FICA, insurance and retirement costs will increase in lockstep…”

August 2006

“In our July 29th article we asked the Commission to fully review the contract then being negotiated with the (IAFF) but not required until (after the election) October. Their response on August 8th was to unanimously approve that three-year contract as a “consent agenda item” without debate. That action, in our opinion, amounts to a travesty committed against every taxpayer in Martin County… How can the Taxpayer’s Association possibly disparage raises to our Fire and Rescue personnel? They have received numerous awards and citations, and we acknowledge them as among the very best in the business. We can do so very easily when one reviews the contract’s compounded, across the board, 10% per year increase, and compare the result to other critical members of our society. CURRENTLY senior Fire/Rescue personnel are THE HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEES in Martin County government…”

July 2008

“…Our Fire/EMS personnel are excellent and the service they provide among the most important functions of local government. However,…Salary and benefit increases have more than doubled their take home pay in less than 8 years. Since these are across the board increases senior personnel are now routinely exceeding $100,000 a year and many over $150,000. With a 90% retirement with full family benefits at 30 years service this 300-person department will cost our County an estimated $1.5 billion in taxes over the next 35-40 years if current policies continue. …This conditional “give-back”(and 3 year contract extension) is NOT a good deal for the County – especially those additional workers that will have to be laid off. … (and) residents who will pay more for less services, parks and libraries. …Let the IAFF keep their 10% increase and answer to the irate residents when they negotiate their next contract in 2009 – a non-election year. ”.

August 2008

“We were extremely disappointed on Tuesday when the Martin County Commission approved a two-year extension to their current contract with the (IAFF) that was not due to expire until October 2009. This new agreement was reached in a closed “executive session” with the Commission on July 24th, …and entered as a “consent” item on the Commission’s August 5th agenda …. Objections by one Commissioner opened the subject to debate. … Most of this (debate) missed the big picture… we are very concerned that the County committed to a 5% + a negotiated cost-of-living (COLA) across the board raise every year until 2011 with knowledge of the coming budget challenges, which appear ominous….”

Only enlightened and outraged voters can prevent adoption of the new “Fire Assessment” – read TAX - being proposed by Fire/EMS. Follow a recent failed Commission vote to save additional consultant funds by killing this proposal now, it will be considered for implementation by the Commission before next year’s elections. If this new “assessment” is approved we firmly believe the excesses will not only continue, but increase. Call, write or e-mail your Commissioners now!

The County has instituted some higher deductible/co-pays in their health plan, but there are additional modifications that would save funds and not greatly affect employees. While there is justification for allowing vacation days to be saved for a limited period, personal and sick days should be used when necessary, not accumulated and/or turned into cash. In our first cursory look at the County’s 900 person banked time account we identified over 50,000 hours (over 1000 work weeks – nearly 20 years) accrued by just the top 10% (30 of 300) Fire/Rescue personnel. One alternative would be to grandfather those hours/days, but immediately stop the bleeding everywhere they legally can and bargain it out of future union contracts.

In summary, we want to see a reduction in TOTAL personnel costs, not increased taxes, fees or assessments. While some layoffs or furloughs may be necessary or even desirable, a better idea is to preserve the good employees required to maintain essential services by reducing excessive benefits and automatic raises. We believe all government employees should receive a salary commensurate with their job and responsibilities - AND COMPARABLE WITH LOCAL CIVILIAN POSITIONS – INCLUDING THEIR BENEFIT PACKAGES.