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County Retail Sales Dropping Sharply; Tax Receipts Will Feel It
Yep, and the cost of living in Phoenix and Houston is much lower than San Diego. So why did the mayor's office include Phoenix, Houston, Fresno, etc. in the report and leave out the more comparable cities such as San Francisco and San Jose? The point here, however, is that you claimed we compare ourselves exclusively to California cities and that isn't true. Nor are our salaries 50% higher than the rest of the nation to match the cost of living.— July 10, 2008 6:31 a.m.
County Retail Sales Dropping Sharply; Tax Receipts Will Feel It
Don, I've been regularly stationed with about 20 different individuals in the past year. Two of them had outside jobs. That 10% figure seems to be about average these days. But really... what does it matter? Again, are you saying that the city should pay less because we have the ability to work a second job? When we're already working more than the average person? Do you really want your firefighters working that much? Heck, if you really care, anyone with outside employment must file a conflict of interest statement with the city. Do a FOIA on the numbers. Did you happen to discuss hours with that Kansas firefighter? Many firefighters back east work a 40 hours week just like "normal" people. However, here we work a 52 hour week... that's a big difference. You say the numbers don't jive, but JustWondering posted a link to the schedule. You can look for yourself. Oh, and one other thing... the city's salary survey included Phoenix and Houston. Those are two cities with lower costs of living and thus lower salaries. Yet we still ended up at or near the bottom of the barrel. Meanwhile, the survey left out San Francisco and San Jose which are both comparable California cities with firefighters who make a whole lot more. So the basis for saying we're underpaid is not in comparison to just California cities.— July 9, 2008 9:35 p.m.
County Retail Sales Dropping Sharply; Tax Receipts Will Feel It
Don, you say that my numbers don't square... but don't say how or even which numbers don't square. Perhaps if you told me, I could help explain it to you.— July 9, 2008 3:27 p.m.
County Retail Sales Dropping Sharply; Tax Receipts Will Feel It
Don, sales taxes may be slipping. You've been saying the same thing about property taxes. Yet an article from today's LA Times says just the opposite. http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la… It seems that Prop 13 helps stabilize the reduction in taxes from assessed values going down.— July 9, 2008 12:51 p.m.
County Retail Sales Dropping Sharply; Tax Receipts Will Feel It
OK, Don, firefighters (in the city of San Diego) are on duty a minimum of 212 hours per month. Essentially, that works out to a 7 hour work day each and every one of the 30 days in a month. Note that doesn't include OT. I did a little research based on my 2006 work history and it added up to an average of 72 hours/week for the year. Very little of that was OT in the stations -- most was callback for major fires. After the fires of 2007, I'm sure that year was the same. And now 2008 is shaping up the same way. (This is the part where Johnny whines that we're "not really working". OK then, change the city Administrative Regs to let me pursue another job while I'm at work. Or to let me have a beer. Or sleep with my wife.) The reality is that many firefighters average about 4-6 hours/shift of sleep at work and that is interrupted. You try living on that. Not too many firefighters work second jobs any more. There isn't time left. Are you suggesting that we work second jobs to make up what the city doesn't pay us? Or that the city pay us less because we (don't really) work second jobs? Can you see it now? "Sorry, I can't come back to work -- I can't afford to lose my second job"— July 9, 2008 12:43 p.m.
City Auditor Says Blackwater Didn't Misrepresent Self, but Criticizes City Procedures
Don & Johnny -- go back and read the post where I wrote, "I didn't say I agreed with the concept of using Blackwater to train SEALS -- I don't." I'm in total agreement with you that paying Blackwater more is ludicrous. That doesn't mean that it isn't happening.— June 9, 2008 1:40 p.m.
City Auditor Says Blackwater Didn't Misrepresent Self, but Criticizes City Procedures
Let me try this slowly, Johnny. I can't think of anyone else in the Navy who would need training like that provided by Blackwater.— June 8, 2008 6:53 a.m.
City Auditor Says Blackwater Didn't Misrepresent Self, but Criticizes City Procedures
I didn't say I agreed with the concept of using Blackwater to train SEALS -- I don't. But I simply can't think of anyone else in the Navy who would be a fit for this concept. I do think it's a little ironic that some of the folks on this board who are screaming about the Navy using private contractors are the same ones advocating the city using private contractors. Yes, I know, apples and oranges... but not completely.— June 7, 2008 7:49 p.m.
City Auditor Says Blackwater Didn't Misrepresent Self, but Criticizes City Procedures
Burwell and soshimo, I'm not a huge Blackwater defender by any stretch of the imagination. That being said, the new facility is in close proximity to one group of sailors who do need advanced firearms training -- SEALS. One current mission of SEALS is clearing buildings which is best practiced... in buildings.— June 7, 2008 6:25 a.m.
Grand Jury Tells CCDC To Stop Claiming It Funds Redevelopment Projects
I can't agree more. The UT article said that the president of the CCDC can award contracts of up to $250K with no bids and no approval process. I have to wonder why Aguirre is spending so much time on the few million he can get back from the pension system when there's $217 million on the table at CCDC. The redevelopment agencies are one good example of why I say the city isn't broke. Incidentally, Don, I'd love to see your analysis of the previous grand jury report -- the one on fire protection in SD.— June 3, 2008 6:52 a.m.