More idiocy from the Kelso Cops: City Council accepts police union plan to avoid layoffs.

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On December 11, I pointed out the Kelso Police Department union as an example of why I despise government unions today.

Why governments from the state level on down don't just declare an economic
emergency, tear up their union contracts, and cut payroll across the board is
just a mystery to me. And here's an example of why they need to do that:

This story documented how the men and women in blue who allegedly "Preserve and Protect" the fine people of Kelso are much more interested in "preserving and protecting" every penny of their pay checks when they refused to take a minimal (and I believe 5% to BE minimal) pay cut to protect the jobs of 4 police officers, who were subsequently subject to firing due to budget cuts.

Well, not to be outdone, the Union came back with another plan that will result in keeping the 4 officers in question.

On the surface at least, this seems like a pretty good outcome. Those not drilling down beyond the title of what that union accomplished might even believe the union actually did some good here.

Well, they didn't.

Last month, the City Council said if police cut $90,000 from next year's payroll, the city would use roughly $330,000 from its reserve account in 2011 and 2011 to fund the balance of the jobs on the chopping block and not lay anyone off.

On Dec. 7, the union announced it was rejecting the city's proposal for union members to take a 5 percent pay cut in 2011 in exchange for no layoffs. In response, the council said a police clerk and officers Aaron Marthaller, Sarah Hoffman and Phil Weismiller would be laid off as planned Dec. 31.

Tuesday, the council voiced its displeasure over the "11th hour" offer and wondered why police hadn't offered sooner to cut back on overtime.

"I feel that we have been trying for quite awhile to lay out the financial position the city finds itself in," Councilman Dan Myers said. "It's only lately that they believed we were saying what we meant."

"If overtime can drop down from $143,000 to $50,000 just by changing the schedule, why the hell haven't we changed the schedule in the past?" Mayor Futcher demanded.

Why, indeed?

It would seem the Kelso PD union has been screwing the taxpayers for years.

So, while the retention of the 4 officers in question is certainly a good thing... I add my voice to the chorus demanding to know why this cut in overtime didn't take place years ago, to save the taxpayers a substantial amount of money that could have been put to good use elsewhere, or could have been kept in the pockets the PD extorted to get it in the first place.

I renew this call:

That all governments at all levels declare that which we are obviously in the middle of to be an economic emergency; tear up the union contracts and tell these people:

THIS is what we're going to pay; THIS is how much work you're going to do, THIS is how much you are going to pay for health care, and THIS is how much we're willing to spend for retirement. .
And if you don't like it... quit.
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