Letter by Carole Weling in the
The letter written by Monty Cochran (“Want cash? Then trim expenses”,
Mailbag, Oct. 8) is an accurate picture of what is taking place down at City
Hall.
Bruce Philpott has spent untold hours of his personal time researching and
speaking on the need for a reduction in the fire staff in
There is no question that three on an engine is just as effective as four, as
other cities have proven. Yet, the money that the city continues to throw at
this group due to its union power continues to lead the city down the path of
insolvency.
Who is to speak up? Not Councilmen Frank Quintero or Ara Najarian, who seek to
suckle at the breast of this union for its endorsement. They are too entrenched
with the “pancake crowd” to do the right thing for the city and its residents.
They continue to cater to a select group, who drive in from out of town. This
elite group has a highly disproportionate number of employees with earnings of
well over $100,000 for a few hours of work a week.
We need new faces down at City Hall. We need faces that are not entrenched in
the “good ole boy system.” We need bold leadership like that displayed by
Philpott, who is not afraid to take on the unions and the city government.
How can this city ever explain its reduction in its police force, which it did
recently, and then leave the Fire Department bloated with its highly paid
staff?
This city has a fiscal problem that must be addressed. The first step in
addressing excessive spending is to reduce unnecessary staffing at the Fire
Department on its fire trucks. I constantly read in the paper the “activities”
by the Fire Department, i.e., jogging the neighborhoods, flipping pancakes,
polishing up the fire truck, speaking to children about matches. The list goes
on.
It is clear that there is too much time on the hands of this overstaffed
department. It is also clear that there needs to be some housekeeping done on
this excessive staff. As they say, a new broom (Philpott) will sweep clean. The
out-of-town unions need Najarian and Quintero. The residents who live here and
pay for the government services need Philpott.
CAROLE WELING