From the Richmond Palladium-Item:
City union workers are hoping for a 5 percent pay raise per year over the next three years.
Their representative, Joe Gomeztagle, made his presentation Monday to the Richmond Common Council on behalf of the 259 workers represented by police and fire unions and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents workers in the street, sanitation and parks department.
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Gomeztagle said a 5 percent increase for three years would cost the city $2 million and would raise property taxes by $7 a year on a house with $150,000 assessed valuation.
He also said he had a plan to find the money from the current budget to allow the increase. But council members limited his presentation to about 15 minutes and he was not allowed to go into detail about the plan.
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City controller Tammy Glenn told council that if council would approve a raise this year they would have to cut from the proposed budget to do so. The administration recommended no raises for 2013 for city employees. Glenn said wage increases would total about $2.3 million over three years, adding raises, employment taxes and pension.
Councilman Jack Elstro said he was puzzled by the presentation.
“It would be nice to give them all a 5 percent increase, but we just don’t have the money,” he said. “We’ve said that from the start. And the budget is just about ready to be put down, to be put to sleep. I was surprised he was asking for a raise now.”
Councilman Ron Oler said he appreciated what Gomeztagle was saying, but “I just don’t see it in this budget.”
“Our first pass through the budget we had to cut out $1.6 million to make it balanced,” Oler said. “That was just to balance the budget. I don’t think we’re going to be able to find raises in there.”
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http://www.pal-item.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012309180030
