Union Shakedown Resisted
by Mike Stoker
There is trickery afoot in Santa Maria this election season that has implications for the rest of Santa Barbara County and beyond.
The Santa Maria City Firefighters Union has spent close to $100,000 on negative ads full of lies, an unprecedented sum and more than any individual candidate has spent. The union is single-handedly running the campaigns of their patsy progressive candidates to install them in office, and more than $23,000 of their money has come from faraway places like Sacramento, Modesto, and San Bernardino.
What do they want?
Why is so much money coming from other places?
And why should you care?
The Firefighters’ Union was offered a contract with a 5% cost-of-living adjustment in 2024 and another 5% in 2025, the same as other unions in Santa Maria have accepted. But the union rejected it, demanding a massive 14% raise (now 17.5%). They have tried to garner sympathy by claiming to be out of contract and underpaid, implying the City has ignored them. Their union leadership decided not to accept a fair deal or negotiate in good faith because they had a plan all along to take out the City Council and replace it with lackeys who have promised to give them whatever they want.
They compare their salaries to firefighters in South Coast cities like Santa Barbara, where the average home costs nearly three times what one does in Santa Maria. They conveniently ignore that fact that they already make more (without any raise) than firefighters in cities with comparable housing costs such as Lompoc and Oxnard.
Last year, 32 Santa Maria union firefighters received more than $200k in salary and benefits, 18 of those received more than $250k, and 9 received more than $300k. Firefighters take personal risks for the benefit of the public and deserve to be well compensated, but to what extent? The median income in Santa Maria is barely north of $80K for an entire household.
Lies and Intimidation
After getting pushback on their salaries, they pretended to make the issue about Fire Department budget and staffing, but department staffing has increased by 20% in the last four years, and the budget by even more. They have simultaneously said the City has plenty of money to pay them by draining other fund balances, while also accusing them of being broke.
They have flat out lied about the records of current Councilmembers, denigrated city staff including every Fire Chief in recent memory, posted doctored photos, harassed families and neighbors of Councilmembers with bullhorns, actively worked against the City trying to hire new firefighters, and lied about their preferred candidates to make them more palatable to the electorate.
Fire unions around the state are helping them achieve their goal, because if it works in Santa Maria, they can follow the same playbook. They know that if they are willing to abuse their reputation and trust, they too can use the same strategy of threats, lies, and deceit to elect yes-men and women to their own councils.
I must give credit where credit is due and applaud our other local firefighters for not signing on to their colleagues’ slash-and-burn campaign. Arguably they would have the most to gain yet decided to maintain their stance of responsible campaigning and negotiating.
Those are principles I respect.
Ultimately, if their efforts succeed, the fire union will gain control of the Council, and by extension Santa Maria’s budget. In that scenario, other departments like Police, Parks, and Public Works would play second fiddle in the zero-sum game of budgeting.
To prevent this from happening, I urge Santa Maria voters to re-elect Mayor Patino, Councilmember Cordero, and Councilmember Escobedo, who are doing a great job managing a difficult situation. For voters in other areas of the County, watch these races on election night knowing that if successful, this money grab campaign may soon be coming to your area.
I am well known for being a huge supporter for our cops and firefighters. However, sometimes you have to say “No.”
This is one of those times.
•••
Mike Stoker currently serves as President & CEO of the Santa Barbara County Taxpayer Advocacy Center. Stoker is a land use, environmental, and business law attorney. He has previously served on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, was Chairman of the CA Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Majority Counsel to Congress, CA Deputy Secretary of State and served as the Southwest Administrator of the US EPA overseeing a population of 75 million people.
Join Us for Election Eve! Tickets are going fast!
Santa Barbara Current (www.SBCurrent.com) is throwing an Election Eve Get-Together at Cody's Cafe (4898 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, CA) on Tuesday night, November 5th, from 7pm to 10pm. We would very much like you to join us.
For your admittance pittance, you’ll be privileged to enjoy a Cash Bar, Heavy Appetizers (provided by Cody's Cafe), Mutual Nose-Rubbing, Friendship (real and imaginary), multiple television coverage,and a chance to be among friends and mutual acquaintances as you root for your favorites and against your nemeses.
Will Donald J. Trump become our President-in-Waiting? Will Republicans Sweep the House, Senate, and White House? Will Santa Barbarians defeat the unwanted and unnecessary school bonds? Will common sense school board members and city council members be elected? If the answer to most of these questions is YES, this will be THE place to celebrate. If things go south, you’ll have company drowning your sorrow in a stiff drink.
Please invite your friends. The results of this Presidential Election– from the top of the ballot all the way down –is sure to be pivotal for Santa Barbara, America, and the world. Tickets are $20/in advance (or $30 at the door if still available). Only 150 tickets will be sold, so to ensure your place please order well in advance.
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Santa Barbara Current’s Endorsement List (Nov 5, 2024 Election)
I believe the unions are some of the most corrupt organizations running around these days. At one point they were in necessity for men and women to receive fair compensation. But with laws that protect everyone from any illegal hiring/firing to protect them now they are unnecessary. Government unions, particularly are the devil and must be stamped out as well as the teachers unions. They set the prices for everyone else and our one of the biggest drivers of inflation that there is other than fuel / energy prices.
I’ve been sounding the alarm over self-interested public employee unions influencing election outcomes for years. Standing up to bullies is the only way to stop the bullying. When someone gets an endorsement from a public employees union, that should be a huge red flag to voters but most voters are not aware of the way things work in politics. The conservatives need a local version of Joe Rogan; a podcast that is interesting, entertaining and informative.