The Sacramento City Council’s tentative decision last week to make major cuts to public safety brings police and firefighter jobs into the spotlight. Six City Council members said they intend to raise the number of brownouts or alternating closures of fire services from two to four. While the city has no plans to lay off firefighters, the public debate over possible cuts to public safety begs the question: How much do firefighters in the city get paid? How do their benefits work? The brownouts may be part of the final budget the City Council is expected to approve on June 21. The city is facing a $39 million deficit. The Sacramento Press published a guide to police officers’ pay and be

The Sacramento City Council’s tentative decision Tuesday night to make severe budget cuts to public safety is not final, but it made a big statement. Council members voted 6-3 to say they intend to make budget cuts later this month that include layoffs of 82 sworn cops and increases in brownouts or alternating closures for fire services. A big caveat to the tentative decision is the council’s statement that it is still open to further negotiations with the city’s public safety unions. Tuesday’s hearing drew intense public interest. Many people arrived more than an hour early to the 6 p.m. meeting. Shortly before 5 p.m., about 70 people waited in line for the doors at City Hall to open.

Sacramento City Council members began discussions Tuesday on the city manager’s recommendation to cut as many as 366 jobs in the budget for the 2011/2012 fiscal year. One city union protested the proposed layoffs at City Hall before the City Council meeting, and representatives from two other unions expressed their opposition to the cuts during the meeting. City officials presented the budget recommendations from the city manager’s office at Tuesday’s meeting and summarized the budget document. As part of the meeting, Interim Deputy City Manager Betty Masuoka explained a chart on the job cuts recommended by the city manager’s office. The city would need to slice 250 full-time positions

More than 350 jobs, including those of 80 sworn police officers, could be cut to balance the city’s budget, Interim City Manager Bill Edgar said Friday. The city manager’s office released recommendations Friday on how to resolve a $39 million budget gap. The proposal released by the city is not set in stone: The City Council is responsible for making final budget decisions. “This is the budget that everyone has dreaded,” Edgar said. “(This is) the budget where the chickens come home to roost.” The city manager’s office proposes cutting 294 positions. In addition, Edgar said he is recommending that the City Council cut about 60 more positions to privatize maintenance of city golf courses

The local police union is reviving an effort to create a “strong mayor” form of government in the city, according to Det. Mark Tyndale, vice president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association. Tyndale said in an interview on Monday that SPOA is “actively talking” to other groups on how to move an effort forward. SPOA is in discussions with the Sacramento Metro Chamber, Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522 and the Sacramento 60, a group of powerful business leaders, Tyndale said. Sacramento 60 and the Sacramento Metro Chamber backed last summer’s strong mayor proposal. The City Council and interest groups for and against a strong mayor government fought bitterly over previous cam

The accusations are flying at City Hall. Councilman Ray Tretheway is accusing Mayor Kevin Johnson of quid pro quo in his endorsement process, while Johnson’s Special Assistant R.E. Graswich said that Tretheway’s allegations are lies. Tretheway held a press conference Wednesday to announce that some of Johnson’s most influential supporters told him that if he voted to place a strong mayor proposal on the November ballot, then Johnson would endorse him. Johnson has endorsed Tretheway’s opponent Angelique Ashby. “Threats and quid pro quo offers may be commonplace these days,” Tretheway said, “but I want no part of it.” Tretheway named names at the press conference. He said the following

Mark Tyndale, vice president of the Sacramento Police Officers Association, sent the following statement to media outlets Tuesday: My concerns regarding the ethics of Dan Roth from Councilmember Tretheway’s Office continue grow as it seems he is weaving a series of dishonest explanations to justify his behavior on the morning of Friday, April 9th. On the YouTube video, he is with Tretheway’s campaign manager from Capitol Campaigns, Corin Choppin, as he pulls Angelique Ashby’s political signs out of the ground and throws them behind the bushes. Apparently, Corin is not only Tretheway’s campaign manager, but is also married to Tretheway’s Chief of Staff, Randi Kay Stevens.  It seems that R

A top officer in the Sacramento police officer’s union is saying that City Councilman Ray Tretheway’s district director should be fired if he made dishonest statements about removal of campaign signs. Lawn signs that supported Tretheway's City Council opponent were removed Friday. “It’s my belief that if Dan Roth has not been honest and he has been lying, I don’t see what alternative there is, for either him to resign or Ray Tretheway to fire him,” Sacramento Police Officers’ Association Vice President Mark Tyndale said Monday at a press conference held by the association and Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. The Sacramento Bee reported a story Saturday about a YouTube video that s

Angelique Ashby is a Natomas neighborhood activist who views public safety as the city's top priority. Ashby, who is running for Sacramento City Council, has the support of two major local public safety unions: the Sacramento Police Officers Association and Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522. The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June election. Ashby is running for City Council in District 1, which is now represented by Councilman Ray Tretheway. The district includes the neighborhoods of North and South Natomas and Alkali Flat. The 20-year Sacramento resident is a partner in a consulting firm that contracts with businesses and government age

The Sacramento City Council is about 99 percent sure that no firefighters will be laid off this week. The local firefighters’ union and city officials reached a breakthrough in negotiations Wednesday and have made a tentative agreement to not lay off 68 firefighters. The last step will be for Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 members to vote on the agreement this week. It is likely that Local 522 members will vote in favor of the agreement because they proposed it to city officials. While dozens of firefighter jobs are likely to be saved, about 180 city workers in other departments still face layoffs on Thursday, according to Assistant City Manager Gus Vina. Several councilmembers

I’ve learned a few lessons recently about how and why local government budgets don’t make sense. Over the past month, I’ve reported on the city budget and asked government officials and union representatives many questions about financial figures and numbers of layoffs. While the officials answered my questions, some budget figures remained nonsensical. I would like to share with The Sacramento Press' readers the following Guide to Local Government Budget Madness. Rule #1: The number of “positions” being removed is not the number of “people” being laid off. Back in May, city officials wrote that that they would cut 387 positions. The budget document said that cuts included the “unfunding

City managers and the local firefighters’ union have widely different views of the most recent failed proposal for the firefighters’ contract. The Sacramento Press readers can join the debate by reading official memos from the recent contract proposal here. Contract negotiations between Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 and city officials failed earlier this week. After the most recent deal flopped, the City Council decided to move ahead with its budget cut to fire 68 firefighters. The last day of the work for the 68 firefighters is July 2, and they will be paid through July 3, according to acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson. The union points out that the firefighters will b

Local firefighters are now saying they will sue the city, a day after the City Council decided to lay off 68 firefighters. The firefighters’ union, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522, sent out a press release Wednesday alleging that city officials have engaged in “unfair bargaining practices.” The city has "not received or been served with any litigation documents," said acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson. " Until such time [that] we are and they are reviewed by the City Attorney we are unable to comment." Local 522 firefighter and spokesman Chris Harvey expressed frustration with the city’s decision to throw out the latest tentative deal between the two parties. The most r

 A total of 68 firefighters are scheduled to be laid off during the first week of July, assistant city manager Gus Vina said on Tuesday. Mayor Kevin Johnson told reporters Tuesday that the Sacramento City Council did not accept the latest tentative deal with Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. Since the firefighters and city managers did not reach a labor agreement, the city plans to go through with its plan to lay off 68 firefighters. The firefighter layoffs are part of the city's budget cuts. "This is a setback, but the world doesn't stop here," Johnson told reporters Tuesday night. The city also did not arrive at a deal with Stationary Engineers Local 39, according to Vina. This

Labor negotiations between the firefighters’ union and the city have gone downhill fast. The firefighters’ union, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522, sent out press releases to media outlets Wednesday that said the union was going to “explore legal options” in its dispute with city management. The firefighters and city managers are engaging in controversial negotiations because city officials are planning to lay off firefighters if the union does not make concessions. Firefighter and union spokesman Chris Harvey said Tuesday that 41 firefighters may lose their jobs. The City Council approved its budget Tuesday, closing a gap of more than $43 million. “We now must explore all legal a

The City Council has changed its original plan to lay off 168 workers Friday, and now layoffs are expected to take place in about two weeks, according to acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson. The number of layoffs is in flux and may soon change depending on negotiations with five city unions. On Tuesday, the city adopted its 2009/2010 fiscal year budget and closed out a gap of more than $43 million. The budget that was approved comes with major cuts to city services. Changes to the budget will be amendments because the budget has been adopted. City officials continued to say Tuesday that many cuts and layoffs could be averted if the unions make concessions. Negotiations between

The Sacramento City Council’s unanimous approval of Sacramento’s budget Tuesday means that city services could face major cuts and that the last day of work for 168 city employees is Friday. While the council adopted the budget, the situation may soon change because some of the city’s key unions, including its firefighters’ union, have not yet finished negotiations with the city. Sacramento has balanced its budget and closed a gap of more than $43 million. City officials continued to say Tuesday that many cuts and layoffs could be averted if the unions make concessions. Since the budget has now been approved, any changes to the budget would be amendments. Of the 168 layoffs approved with

City management was not yet ready to comment at 5 p.m. Monday on the local firefighters’ union's latest proposal on pay and layoffs. Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 has pitched a new proposal to put salary increases on hold for the next 30 months if the city will guarantee no layoffs throughout that period of time, said Local 522 spokeswoman Robin Swanson. Swanson described the proposal as “inherently fair" and said it would bring more than $10 million in savings to the city. Acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson did not have an update Monday afternoon on the city’s reaction to the union’s proposal. City managers and firefighters resumed negotiations after firefighters vot

City Distributes 168 Pink Slips Many city employees learned last week that their last day of work may be June 19. The city distributed 168 pink slips Monday, June 2. The 168 figure is not set in stone. City officials said fewer people may be laid off if unions make concessions. The city is dealing with a budget deficit in excess of $43 million. Firefighters Nix Labor Agreement with City City managers and the local firefighters’ union both said Friday they are willing to head back to the bargaining table after firefighters voted down a labor deal last week. The city’s decision to distribute layoff notices to firefighters is a key dispute between city management and Sacramento Area Fire

The local firefighters’ union Friday scrapped a deal with city management that would have cut firefighters' salary increases and maintained jobs. Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 is attributing the failure of the deal to the city’s decision to send layoff notices to firefighters earlier this week. Meanwhile, the city is saying that it was straightforward in its negotiations with the union. The city, which is facing a deficit of more than $43 million, plans to lay off 68 people in the Sacramento Fire Department if the union does not make concessions. Both sides said Friday that they are ready to start negotiations again. Local 522 spokesperson Robin Swanson said firefighters are wi