The Orange County Fire Authority, which provides fire and emergency services for unincorporated county areas and 23 member cities, just approved a 25% raise for its firefighters over the next five years. The costs will be borne by cities at a time when many are facing fiscal challenges, making the decision fiscally irresponsible.
It’s just the latest example of how public-employee unions pressure government agencies to continually ratchet up pay and benefits regardless of the impact on taxpayers. The problem is particularly acute when it comes to public-safety budgets. The public is understandably supportive of firefighters, but that results in the approval of contracts that require cutbacks in other services, or service “crowd out.”
Furthermore, public-safety unions generously fund local politicians’ campaigns — and every ambitious elected official seeks out fire-union endorsements. “Many of the board members who voted in favor of the raise received campaign funding from the county firefighters union,” per the Voice of OC. Among them is Buena Park mayor and supervisorial candidate Connor Traut, who as of this writing has benefited from $428,000 in spending by the union.
Of course, this is no one-sided affair. Voice of OC noted that the union also contributes directly to the local Democratic and Republican parties. No wonder massive raises sail through virtually uncontested.
Readers should look at Transparent California, which uses public records to reveal pay for statewide public employees. Our perusal shows 103 OCFA employees earning between $400,000 and $597,000 annually in total compensation. They receive the generous 3% at 50 pension plan that allows them to retire with 90% of their final pay at age 50.
We respect firefighters’ work, but there are typically long lines for firefighter jobs given the compensation. The recruitment concerns cited by unions are largely a myth. Firefighter unions, by the way, were behind efforts to stop cities from exiting these costly contracts by creating their own fire agencies with more reasonable pension benefits. They tout their public service, but it’s all about boosting pay and reducing competition.
Fortunately, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently vetoed two bills that would have sparked a pension-increasing frenzy. Even when the state does the right thing, there’s no controlling taxes and protecting services when local officials act irresponsibly.