Mayor's pay raise

[Trash Man]

I read in today's Tribune that the administrative staff (AKA Mayor Iorio) is going to present city council with a proposal to increase the mayor's salary by $15,000.00, bringing it up to $150,000.00 per year. I'm sure that doesn't include the perks such as meals, travel etc. that goes along with the office. Looks to me as though Tampa is in pretty good financial shape so the city shouldn't be adverse to granting decent pay raises to the PD. Maybe this time it will to to the grunts in the trenches instead of the Brass in their offices. Oh, I forgot, the Brass are the ones who made the crime go away. Excuse me.....NOT !!!!!!!!!

Thats why are taxes are going up and she has added more staff.

You people start at a higher salary than most anywhere else, you have benefits that people kill for, and you have the odasity to complain about others. Once you stop looking at what everyone else is doing, you'll see what's going on right under your nose.....crime. Remember, that's what you were hired to handle. If you're not going to deal with it...get the hell out of the way and let someone in there that will. Geez, I'll have to review the requirements to be a TPD cop...an associates degree in Whining.
I have no allegiance to TPD, but I put in my time, realized it wasn't for me and moved on. I was fortunate to work with some great people. If certain people read this, they'll realize who wrote it, but they're not the ones whining. Knock it off !!

It's interesting.......all of us beg, cry and shout for a RAISE....WE NEED A RAISE.......but, when someone else asks for one everyone freaks out. What a bunch of hypocrites........I could care less if the Mayor gets a raise, I want one as well, but I am not a pathetic hypocrite like others. If she wants to be paid the same as St Pete and Orlando Mayor, then so be it, she asks. Who really cares. I hope we get a raise, i need it for sure.....gas prices......interest rates up......everything is more expensive. But if I can feel good about asking for one I will not shit talk someone else for asking the same as I do.

[Trash Man]

OK, you "moved on". Why the move, couldn't you complete probation? Or maybe the pot destroyed your brain cells. Hey, it wasn't the "little girlie thing" was it?

I think you are all way off base. This is a GOOD THING. If they mayor deserves an 11% pay raise. Dont we deserve at least 5 5 4 as WE are the ones who expended the sweat that "did this crime reduction" ?

By the way there was not crime reduction, just a change in the way the bean counters counted! (but thats another string on here!)

The mayor does what she wants and lets everyone else eat cake.
She is quoted herself as saying you dont get into public service to become rich.
Why is she asking for a raise then?
She should be leading by example.
She cut all the peons pay in the city, everyone who needed the money more than staff, raised all of staffs pay, and is now bumping her salary up to a meager 150,000.
I guess with the raise comes a promotion to queen.
Another smart move by human resources. Like we would miss that.
I can't wait until elections. 8)

I still don’t see the difference. She gave non-sworn city employees a 10.5% raise in their current 3-year contract. She gave sworn an 11 % pay raise in their current contact. The mayor has had no COLA increase since taking office and if the raise is approved it will not take effect until the next term. That means no raise in four years for her, while she has raised every other city employee a minimum of 13.5%-32%. (Based on Previous 4 year COLA’s and step increases) Who got a pay cut? Here something you can think the queen for, the biggest pension multiplier increase in over 20 years and the biggest COLA increase of any mayor in the last 11 years. Yea she is so selfish. I think you owe her an apology.

Hey LP, you hit the nail on the head. But, you cannot reason with people who always want to whine and cry. She is paid less than St pete and Orlando, and big deal, she asks for a raise. We got raises and a nice multiplier.

Non-sworn personnel only get that 10.5% if they are sleeping with the boss fry crying out loud.
No one is ever given the full amount not in the police department and not elsewhere.
I don't owe anyone an apology when she herself says "You don't come into public service to get rich."
She refuses to hire any more building inspectors and tells the few that are here to suck it up.
Then, after she cuts the pay of every non-sworn person, because she is saving taxpayers dollars, she demands a raise?
$150,000 plus benefits, plus expense money, plus a vehicle and driver, plus an entourage that is paid more than any other comparable city?
I am either talking about the queen, a rock star, or the mayor of Tampa.
If she even tried to do whats right for the non-sworn personnel, I might support it.
She has shafted the entire city as far as pay is concerned and then expects us to support her when she wants a raise.
Whats fair is fair.
Rose Ferlita seems to understand.

Can you site where you are getting your information from, because you are very misinformed. Please!

1. Who got a pay cut?

2. How do you not get your COLA that is in the contract, after 10 years of being here that has never happened to me? I have never slept with the boss.

3. What building inspector did she say to suck it up to? The job has been posted on the city website, so how has she refused to hire more? They are paying them a fortune in overtime right now, so how is that saving the taxpayer money?

You are clueless, “Shafted”, what police agency pays better than the city of Tampa on the central east coast of Florida. You cannot do better for this area! You are either one angry individual who will never be happy, or you have set your life style expectations to high for this profession. The mayor will always be paid more than a police officer in any major city in an America. Just accept it. She deserves a COLA, just like you and me.

Let me help you out since its obvious you dont read the paper.
1. Every non-sworn got their merit raises chopped in half. The COLA doesn't even begin to cut it for them.
2. I wasn't talking about COLA
3. If you had read the paper, the mayor said, quote, "They didn't come into public service to get rich." and they shouldn't expect a raise from her even though they are dropping inspectors like eggs from flies on sh!t.
The reason its posted on the website is because they keep losing inspectors because no one wants to work there because she won't give them a raise.
I want **** Greco back and now.
At least with him I didn't have to bust my butt and get paid very little. I just got paid very little.

You are still just spitting out crap and failing to make your argument. They got a 10.5% COLA/ sworn got 11%. Everyone who is not topped out got more. The Mayor is going 4 years without a COLA or Merit. So big deal she gets an 11% raise if and only if she is reelected. That averages 2.5% a year. That’s less than “any” city employee. I believe you also got a car and free gas as well as part of your benefit package. If you want a driver ride 2-man. I guess if the mayor says no to the raise, you will be ok if she says no to yours as well, right or are you a hypocrite?

Please tell me when a non-sworn got a 10.5% COLA?
Are you living at Disneyland??
You are lying right out of your Captains desk.
Try around 3% and some change.
Oh...I get it...you want to make your lies sound better so you are adding up all three years together.
Ohhhhh...don't forget to tell everyone she chopped the non-sworn personnel pay in half and increased health insurance premiums because HR never looked for any better ones.
How do I know this you ask??
I actually get out of my patrol car and talk to those underpaid and overworked men behind the scenes.

POLICE SALARIES

POLICE OFFICER STARTING SALARY

City of Miami Beach 44,713
Miramar 39,011
Coral Gables 42,843
Fort Lauderdale 42,432
Pembroke Pines 41,995
Boca Raton 40,293
Hallandale Beach 41,507
Coral Springs 42,774
Davie 41,434
Orlando 38,052
Hillsborough 39,115

7 agencies that get paid more money that us 4 that are competitive (I am sure there are more). As far as other benefits (health care, pension, take home, etc.), its give and take. We have some benefits that are better, and they have some benefits that are better.

Bottom line is that we need a stronger P.B.A. and a membership that stands united. Then and only then, will the city stop pushing us around, and we will be able to obtain what we want in benefits and salaries.

There are many PBA's up north that go after the city all the time (http://www.nypdflsa.com/index.html). The problem that we have with ours is that the reps will do the very minimum that they have to do in a case because they do not want to make big waves. Why? Various reasons come into play, friendships, promotions, not wanting to become a target themselves, etc. We need a PBA that has balls and is going to keep it's members informed, and motivate them to get involved. A P.B.A. that demonstrates that they truely care, and are willing to fight for it's members, no matter the cost, time, or effort that has to be put into it.

N.Y.P.D. P.B.A. ( http://www.nycpba.org/news/index.html):

"We waged a media advertisement campaign, made public appearances too numerous to count, appeared on radio and TV, demonstrated at the Republican National Convention and picketed the Mayor at public appearances and other locations, including his residence, all to highlight our wage plight. While the City may not have been moved by our campaign, the public, press and ultimately the arbitrator heard our public arguments and we believe that the public campaign strengthened our position." Sounds like our press conferences, right? L.M.A.O.


"On June 28, 2005, after 14 days of arbitration and numerous days of other hearings and meetings, an award was issued by the PERB panel in our 2002-2004 Contract Arbitration, ending a protracted round of bargaining that began in September 2002. As you know, this produced an award of 5% per year over two years, or 10.25% compounded. While we deserved much more and that was clearly proven in our arbitration hearings, this award represented a significant upward departure from anything offered by the City across the negotiating table or during the mediation process."

With the crime reduction bonuses that the chief and majors received, I think that at a minimum 5, 5, and 5 sounds good. We have been working our ass off (well, most of us) and have reduced crime in this city. We did all the dirty work, and its time for the city to pay up!

N.Y.C.S.T. (http://www.nystpba.org/pages/public/news.asp?cat=D)

The PBA will be presenting arguments before the Appellate Division, Third Department, today defending a previous Supreme Court decision that the Division of State Police wrongly withheld a Trooper’s pay after an initial 30-day suspension from duty. The ruling also ordered the Trooper be paid retroactively. Following the court win in favor of the PBA, Division filed an appeal.

Attached above is the 19-page brief filed by the PBA to accompany today’s arguments in court. To read the brief, just click on the icon above. The PBA will continue to fight for our members’ rights through whatever means necessary.

I can go on and on with examples from other P.B.A.'s. I think that you guys get the picture.

Now to be fair, I do not think that the members help the situation by playing the me, myself, and I routine.

N.Y.P.D.:

"We want to thank you for taking the time to participate in this important process. The AAA informed us that the average turnout for a union election is 30%, while the turnout for the PBA 2003 election was over 53%, far greater than the average. We will continue our efforts to involve all members in the important work of the union.

On a more personal note, we want to thank you for your loyalty and support over the past four years. Over 70% of the membership expressed approval of the direction this organization is heading under the current leadership. This mandate sends a clear message to elected officials and others that WE SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE."

We need to stop all the gossip, back stabbing, etc., and stand united as one. United we stand, divided we fall.

Peace out, my brothers, and be safe!

Those are starting salaries.........Our scale sends you up almost faster than every one of those. We get paid a good deal more than HCSO after several years. Ft Lauderdale is one of the few that might have TPD actually beat. But look at the benefits of the others........taking your car home to Pasco is worth several thousand to some officers.

It's not so much that we don't think the mayor has a hard job.
We do too.
You have to give support in order to get it.
She really did shaft the non-sworn and then makes the ever famous quote..."You didn't come into public service to get rich."
That is almost like a slap in the face to them.
In the same breath, she asks for a huge raise for herself.
That is pretty twisted.
I heard she is conducting an additional salary study so she can cut more salaries and redline people but there is obviously not a money shortage.
Until she can support them, I can't support her.

There are too may here that are only out for themselves and will never stand together, the City knows this. Bennie resisted leaving a Central station until he went to a Chiefs forum and learned that when you divide officers and play on that, you simply "divide and conquer". Even tho we had lost our take home cars, we were really together "back in the day" because everyone would meet and BS in the parking lot or stop at the FOP on the way home. Everyone is in a hurry to get home or to that O.D. job and I never hear of anyone having an actual Squad party anymore....we are our own worst enemy when it come to sticking together...and until we do, the PBA will continue to be the way they are.

Divide and conquer was in affect long before Bennie was Chief and our cars were taken away. Disharmony was always the goal of this dept. Squad parties eminated from the Sgt's position. And they haven't cared about that for a loooooong time. Not sure what 'back in the day' period you're referring to. But it was like that since the early-mid 80's. There were always too many that were out for themselves and hurrying to that OD job. And just like today, this dept has never backed it's officers unless they were 150% correct. That's just the way it is and it will never change. Mayors, Chiefs and staff always got their big raises then, just as now. And they were always rewarded for the jobs we do on the street. And the PBA, well you all see what they've become over the years. Just hope they can get us the best pay & benefits they can. Do your jobs to the best of your ability and go home safe and sound at the end of your shift. You'll never change these things. And if you think you can, then you'll be working on a nice ulcer your remaining time here.

[Trash Man]

I don't know if many (I know of a couple) are still around from old squad 34, but they would tell you we had some REAL parties. We worked hard and while on duty it was serious, but after we got off we played just as hard as we worked. Learn who "The Trained Killer" is and get him to tell you about old squad 34. As a Rookie, he bore the brunt of a lot of the squads jokes (and bore them well I might add), but hopefully enough time has passed that he can look back on them and laugh.

Please take your blinders off. Her raise is for 11%. Now spread that out over the 8 years since the last time the mayor was given a raise and that isn't much. How would you like to see the new CBA steps be only 1.375 a year for the next 8 years :?: :?: :?: I know I would not be a happy camper.

I agree with you 100%....Start me off at $115,000 a year for an elected job (dont forget the estimated $68,000) in benefits she gets and I wont mind only getting an 11% raise!

by the way...in the past 4 years of her being mayor:

Gas is up over 70%
Property Tax up 45%
Health Care Premium 104%
Co-payments 140%

I have been told for 3 contracts in a row to "take this contract and we will go after some raises on the next one."

Here it is in simple terms....we did what we were asked (reduced crime at a rate greater than almost any city in the country)
Our "leaders" got 6-8% bonuses on top of their raises.

5-5-5 or vote no unless there are significant other benefit improvements!!!!!!!!!

Tim

Best friend cops and firefighters had was Bob Buckhorn....any chance he will come back?

Dear lord,
Please forgive the above poster for he has sinned.
Bob would sell you down the river faster than anyone.
However, I would vote for Bob faster than I would vote for Pam.
She needs to keep one thing in mind, There are a lot of retired police and fire that actually live in the city limits and most have family and friends that live in the city limits.
We plan on turning out en masse on election day to support whoever else is running against her.
We have nothing but time to prepare an election jihad.
My sons also work for the city and have been screwed as well. They actually lost money due to increased premiums and high inflation, lost merit raises.
No one is going to vote for her except the editors at the tribune and the editors at the tribune.
She has underestimated the retirees

Yup, the City has treated you like dirt. For the record how does TPD rank for pay in the Tampa Bay Area? How about Central Florida? How about the State or even the Soth Eastern United States? You are one of the highest paid with some of the best benefits the last time I looked. If you got into your job wanting to get rich, someone lied to you about your chances.

Are you saying that since we are the highest paid and the ones with the best benefits, we should sit idle and wait until everybody catches up to us. Come on give me a break.

Regardless of what our pay is when compared to other agencies we should still be compensated for the hard work that we do. We worked our ass off and reduced crime. Its time to pay up!

5-5-5
increase court time to 3 hours min.
increase shift diff.
increase longevity bonuses
etc.
etc.
etc.

or VOTE NO!

Election Jihad!

We worked our ass off and reduced crime.



Don't fall into their game.......

Those are starting salaries.........Our scale sends you up almost faster than every one of those. We get paid a good deal more than HCSO after several years. Ft Lauderdale is one of the few that might have TPD actually beat. But look at the benefits of the others........taking your car home to Pasco is worth several thousand to some officers.

Yes, Ft Lauderdale has great pay. But ask anyone of the officers there and they will tell you that once they got their pay, the revenues did not keep up and for the last couple of years they have cut back the number of sworn causing a massive work load for those that are there.

You are almost right. We WERE one of the highest paid and best benefits. However, you bet do some reasearch.....those agencies you name retire at 80% at 20 years!

They get post retirement health care.

Ft Lauderdale's health insurance is $70 a month for entire family.

Prescription copays are $7-14

3 hours minimum for court and it starts when you start you car.

5% for midnight shifts!

Now that you have been called out, back up your statemetns with facts. This was the ONLY agency I looked at. Because YOU used them as an example.

POLICE SALARIES

POLICE OFFICER STARTING SALARY

City of Miami Beach 44,713
Miramar 39,011
Coral Gables 42,843
Fort Lauderdale 42,432
Pembroke Pines 41,995
Boca Raton 40,293
Hallandale Beach 41,507
Coral Springs 42,774
Davie 41,434
Orlando 38,052
Hillsborough 39,115


Before you post something like this... c'mon... do all of the research. A lot of people fall for propaganda type information like this. Look at staff and the d1, d3 #'s. Perception is one's reality. The figures are up for debate:Fort lauderdale Salary range $41,620.80 - $63,897.60 (even though top salary "may" be achieved in 6 years)
the following is dependant on where you look or who you talk to...

Salary in Tampa FL: $41,000
Comparable salary in Fort Lauderdale FL: $48,284.8

If you move from Tampa FL to Fort Lauderdale FL...

Groceries will cost: 4.264% more
Housing will cost: 47.43% more
Utilities will cost: 6.084% more
Transportation will cost: 0.325% less
Healthcare will cost: 17.684% more
this is just Lauderdale, other cities may be more...or less (your list, probably more)

more money is great, but factor everything in please...

You are almost right. We WERE one of the highest paid and best benefits. However, you bet do some reasearch.....those agencies you name retire at 80% at 20 years!

They get post retirement health care.

Ft Lauderdale's health insurance is $70 a month for entire family.

Prescription copays are $7-14

3 hours minimum for court and it starts when you start you car.

5% for midnight shifts!

Now that you have been called out, back up your statemetns with facts. This was the ONLY agency I looked at. Because YOU used them as an example.

I suggest you call Ft Lauderdale FOPL #31 (The "L" in FOPL stands for Labor) and see if the high costs of their CBA has not lead to some major cut backs within their agency.

You cant buy a nice house for under $250k
You have to pay more for health insurance becuase the mayor wants to bleed us dry.
Gas is $3 a gallon because the President wants to bleed us dry.
Food and other items are higher as a direct result of the gas problem.
Utilities are higher and my raises are lower.
I am voting for whoever can promise me more money.
And I DO plive in the city.
I will not be voting for this mayor again.
So, Come on politicians, lets make a deal.
You want the higher paying office?
Promise me more money.
This mayor can't do it.

I'm running. Please give me the opportunity to ruin your city like I did to the City of St. Petersburg. I promise to give you more money. Beleive Me.

The check is also in the mail.

I love you.

I promise I won't !@#$& in your mouth.

VOTE

You know I have to ask. Cpt Marion Lewis is running for Mayor.

Captain,

Can you give us your position on this matter?

Do you agree that have not been keeping up with inflation with our raises over the last 3 contracts (9 years)?

Do you support a significant pay raise or benefit package?

I live in the city and I am looking for a place to throw my vote.

Captain Lewis.
You can buy my vote.
Just correct the wrong that has been done by this current administration.
Fix the non-sworn's joke of a contract and redo Human Resources from the top down.
I am sure everyone will vote for you then