Press Release
Release Date: 12/20/07
CITY OF SIERRA MADRE AND POA REACH AGREEMENT, PENDING VOTER APPROVAL OF U.U.T.
The City of Sierra Madre and the Sierra Madre Police Officers' Association (POA) reached an agreement
Tuesday, December 18, 2007 settling the long-running salary dispute. A three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) approved by the City Council at Tuesday's Special Meeting, gives the POA an average salary boost of 9 percent beginning July 1, 2008. This will be followed by an average of an 8 percent increasethe second year and a 7 percent the third year.
City Manager Elaine Aguilar stated, "Implementation of this MOU is contingent upon the proposed passage of the Utility User Tax Measure at the April 8, 2008 election." Based on the recommendations of the Citizen Advisory Committee, the City knew it could not afford to increase police salaries without a new source of revenue. The proposed UUT measure increases the UUT over three years from the current 6 percent to a maximum ceiling of 12 percent, determined annually by the City Council. The measure also modernizes the current Utility Tax Ordinance to reflect changes in communications technologies. Finally, an Advisory Measure on the ballot will seek citizen input on additional public safety uses of the funds generated by the UUT.
As part of the agreement, the POA will cease campaigning for their own pay and benefit ballot initiative. Instead, they will encourage residents to vote for the UUT measure and the Advisory Measure.
POA President John Ellins commented, "The Sierra Madre Police Association thanks the Mayor Enid Joffe and the City Council for their unanimous support. The POA is pleased that this agreement not only guarantees the future of the police department, but helps protect the future of all city services." He added, "We encourage thecitizens of Sierra Madre to support the UUT tax so there will be sufficient funding for all public city services."
"This is a historic agreement between the City of Sierra Madre and the Police Officers' Association," said Mayor Joffe. "It ends years of discord between the City and the POA and provides our outstanding police force with asignificant increase in salaries over a three year period."
The last time the City and the POA mutually agreed on a MOU agreement was for the 1998-99 fiscal year. Other provisions of the MOU include:
- An increase in health benefits consistent with the general classified employees.
- A fiscal emergency provision that allows the City to suspend salary increases if City revenues decline by more than 3% in one year.
- An opportunity to re-open discussion of the POA request for improved retirement benefits in 2010.
- An end to previous litigation between the City and the POA.
- The Utility User Tax and Advisory Measure will be on the April 8, 2008 election.