Posted by whatusay on February 7, 2011, 11:11 pm, in reply to "Re: Pontoon Beach..."
To tell our officers they don't deserve a raise is unacceptable," Saltsgaver told Temple. "They were less than the cost of living for last year."
"It wasn't a huge raise. I believe they deserved more,"
I hope that Mr. Saltsgaver is reading this, because I don't think ANYONE believes they don't deserve a raise, but I do think EVERYONE agrees it's fiscally irresponsible to negotiate a contract with any increase in it at this point.
A lot of folks didn't DESERVE to lose their jobs, but they have, and they don't DESERVE to have their taxes raised yet again to make up for the deficit that seems to exist when it comes to paying for health insurance and pensions for those on the village's obviously bloated payroll.
I suggest everyone consider who they are voting for in this election and WHO will be negotiating with the policemen's union at the end of this year.
Personally I would opt for a year or two of job security instead of a raise.
And there are a lot out there that would just be happy having a job at all.
I would have to question the wisdom of allowing one union official to negotiate the contract for another union's employee, especially when those employees are working for the very city he is representing by being trustee. Major conflict in my opinion.
Boy, think of all that money that went to those multiple attorneys, and how that could have been applied elsewhere.
And of course, the quietly settled lawsuits.
The hourly base rate for a Pontoon Beach police officer is now $21.55 due to the 3.5 percent raise. That figure does not include the raises for years of service. The Glen Carbon Police Department's hourly rate is $23.13 and the Maryville Police Department $21.63.
So, does this mean an officer starts at 21.55 per hour, but if he has nine years of service, he gets 32 cents per years served which would be an additional 2.88 per hour, and if he gets a promotion, he gets another 1.00, which would put him at $25.43 per hour?
Wow, this really doesn't sound too measley to me, I mean an increase of $3.88 an hour? Is that really 3.5%.
Just a thought, and if I'm wrong, I welcome someone to explain it better, because it sounds like a whole of double speak when you re-read that entire article posted earlier. This is nuts.