Bowing to pressure and criticism from SEIU 721 members and the public, Jay Orr, Riverside County Executive Officer, pulled the controversial proposal that would have given some elected officials over 20% increase in pay and benefits. The second proposal, increasing the pay for upper management, was also tabled for further study.
Click here to read the breaking Press-Enterprise story
Click here to read the Desert Sun
– Salary Increase Proposal for Riverside County Executives Pulled
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This weekend SEIU 721 Riverside County leadership sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors in response to two items on the Tuesday, June 5, agenda which would result in increases in pay and benefits for elected officials and upper management, outside of compaction issues.
Click to download the letter.
Click to view press release.
This is an outrageous proposal made either for completely political antics prior to election
day or lack of good judgement by management during a time of
layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts to front line workers who provide essential
public services. Any raises should be in line with negotiated union contracts and not a combination of the highest paid perks, especially retroactive reimbursements that will cost the county up to 1.7 million.
Front
line county workers have never been reimbursed or made whole for the years of cuts and furloughs they have received. The hard working residents of Riverside county are struggling everyday to make ends meet for their families. If the Board of Supervisors approves these rec
ommendations i
t will send a strong message that they are not concerned with maintaining any fiscal discipline with top management and elected officials.
– Jason Klumb, SEIU 721 Inland Area Regional Director
In the News
UPDATE – Press-Enterprise – Pay hike request likely dead on arrival
Press-Enterprise – Pay hikes for elected officials, management proposed
Desert Sun – Pay hikes for elected officials, management proposed
North County Times
– Riverside County elected officials could get 30 percent raises
Take Action
CALL – Let the Board of Supervisors know this proposal is a slap in the face to Riverside County workers who have been forced to take pay and benefit reductions or worse are being laid off; and to county residents that might lose services due to increased cuts. Click here to find your Supervisor’s contact info.
VOTE June 5 – The fact that this proposal was put on the Board agenda on Election Day seems like no coincidence. SEIU 721 members have endorsed Mike Soubirous, candidate for the Board of Supervisors District 1 seat, a principled leader that understands it is a time for change from the business-as-usual politics in Riverside County.
LOL- the people that do no boots on the ground work – want big raises when the people they are supposed to serve are not even getting all basic needs met through cut services?!?
Services exist for the social good and the taxpayer. Too many believe the clients and services are just a means to get more funding and tax dollars to justify even bigger elected and admin salaries and benefits.
The job is to provide services, consider the least first. Greater comforts for the administrators and elected is the last priority in a well run govt agency, especially in tough times when basic survival needs are not being met by many.
Was I just too idealistic when I thought govt workers and elected made less but were respected for choosing a higher calling than the typical corporate rat race to the top dollar?