Full version of the Barry Allen’s letter to the editor of the Glendale News Press published on 05-02-08. [The text shown in red was deleted from the published version]:

Our fiscal disaster in Government is being met with ways to raise more money to pay the bills instead of how to cut expenses.

As the Executive Director of Vanguardians, a community fiscal accountability advocacy, I can share this information about the City of Glendale where the highest paid City worker is a fireman at $250,000 per year, $10,000 more than the City Manager. That amount does not include pension, healthcare and a car that includes insurance, maintenance and fuel. Of the $250,000, 1/3 is paid for sleeping and 1/3 for leisure time activities. The balance of the time is for training, exercise and meetings. About an hour per day is devoted to their mission. In bedroom community Glendale 180 firefighters are paid over $100,000 per year or $26,000,000. Certain City Council members are calling for more firefighters and more money for them.

Firefighters have a very powerful union that not only provides campaign financing and endorsements but will walk the streets and pass out flyers while they are in uniform.

We, the public, must take our role seriously by reviewing and understanding the issues then express those issues in front of legislative bodies where the Ralph M Brown Act provides an opportunity for each person to speak to the issues that fall within the jurisdiction of the legislative body.

We must demand that local governments curtail adding to already massive salaries that carry greater post employment financial burdens. In Glendale the unaudited post employment benefits that are unfunded are $93,000,000 according to public records.

Barry Allen