By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com
San Benito firefighters who spoke on a condition of anonymity expressed concern recently with longevity pay that was cut during Tuesday’s budget workshop.
An across-the-board cut trimmed the longevity pay of all City of San Benito employees Tuesday but irked firefighters in the process, some of whom met with the News and threatened to quit due to their pay being adversely affected.
City officials did not immediately provide figures of how employees would be affected; however, City Manager Manual Lara reiterated that everyone would feel it… even himself.
“From me to the guy using the weed-eater,” Lara said on Friday. “Apparently, longevity pay has not been something they’ve done for a very long time. It’s new that came into effect six or seven years ago.”
Lara said previous city leaders administered the pay but expressed difficulty in finding records documenting approval. “It’s another way of giving up a little extra cash,” he said. “It was when the old administration was here and figured out how they could increase their pay and called it longevity based on the time of years they served. It’s actually a perk, it’s not an incentive. Incentives are all identified for certain certifications or training.”
San Benito Professional Firefighters Association (Local 4097) President Caleb J. Silva said he sympathized with the city’s efforts in balancing the budget. Silva, however, did acknowledge some unrest among firefighters.
“We’re willing to make compromises to make the city economically stable. But the main concern that may arise is that we may lose valuable resources – personnel-wise due to these cuts,” Silva said. “Ultimately the firefighters’ concern is our a safety and the public’s safety, and our biggest fear is that more cuts could negatively impact the city and the public safety we provide for them.”
Silva said if as little as a few firefighters were to walk it would be detrimental to the city’s fire response. “Our staffing would be at dangerous levels if we lose two people,” the association president said. “I don’t want to be negative. Don’t get me wrong, we love the city. We just want to work with them so they’ll work with us.”
Regarding the cuts, City Commissioner Celeste Z. Sanchez said if city revenues are healthy again in the future that the matter may be revisited. “But for right now it is a budget cut, and I hope that our best (firefighters) hang in there with us,” she said.
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the Aug. 21 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
1 comment
Longevity pay was another way the city tried to help longer serving veterans in the fire department. It was established by, “cough cough”, Orlando Garcia.(yes i said his name) The longevity pay was a way to give the longer serving firemen something back, since the previous fire chief’s (Orlando) first agenda item when getting hired was to increase pay for new firefighters. The new firefighters were leaving to brownsville and harlingen so he had to stop the “bleeding”, so to speak, and increased the starting base pay for new firefighters. the longevity pay came a little later. it was a way to help those who had been with the city for quite awhile and really did not have the option of leaving for another city because of civil service age requirements. this is just another example of mr. Lara not respecting the seasoned veterans and taking from everywhere but himself. he’s been there only a couple of years, He doesnt have any longevity pay to lose!!!! why doesn’t he put his money where his mouth is??? TALK IS CHEAP, I haven’t heard Mr. Lara asking the commissioners to cut his pay, just until “we get out of this crunch”. Bet he would even take a raise if he could sneak it by under everyones nose. he’s a laughable leader with a napolean complex. try getting into a spirited debate with him, then his true personality shines.