Coral Gables Budget: Public Works

July 30, 2010 Leave a comment

A few notes on the Public Works Department’s budget based on observations on the current budget estimate.

Public Work’s total budget outlays have risen during the most recent budget periods 07/08/09/10 from $17,0 million to 18.9 million in 2010-2011.  Staff numbers have been reduced from 74 to a proposed 63 in this budget.  Salaries and benefits have declined in this period from 7.9 million to 6.9 million but, as noted, overall costs have risen.  The city is contracting out some professional services (such as architectural services after the elimination of the Architectural Division in 2009-2010 budget) needed by Public Works.  It makes payments for waste water services from Miami-Dade and has increased costs for operating equipment for stormwater management and sewer services, among others.

Although staff has been reduced in Public Works, overall costs have not been decreased that much because of the cost of payments to Miami-Dade and equipment costs.  Also, this personnel services reduction is minimal since overall capital expenditures of the city have been significantly reduced in the new budget year.  There seems to be opportunities for further saving in the Public Works Department given that the work program for capital expenditures is declining.

Filed under Budget, Coral Gables, Employees and Unions

Coral Gables Budget: Firefighters

July 28, 2010 Leave a comment

The City Commissioners are reluctant to reduce public security staffing of police and firefighters.  It seems to be that they are reticent to be blamed for any public security event in the city, especially in an election period. Also, the firefighters and police are members of strong unions who are good negotiators and this make its hard to reduce  staffing, salaries and benefits of public security.   Also, these unions have been known to support candidates for the Commission.

The number of fire fighter will remain constant  compared to last year’s budget at 147 positions and salaries and benefits will increase from $21,968,223 to $22,886,809, which is a not insignificant increase of 4.18%.  Total salaries and benefits for fire fighters is creeping back up to the 2008-2009 budget amount of $23,494,578.  Average compensation of salaries and benefits declined from $157,681 in 2008/2009 to $149,444 in 2009/2010 to an estimated $155,693 in 2010/2011.

The total outlay for firefighting service $25,253,660 or 20% of the $127,706,578 estimated operating budget of the city of Coral Gables in 2010/2011.

Filed under Budget, Coral Gables, Employees and Unions, Finance

What’s in the Coral Gables’ Budget–Few Personnel Changes

July 26, 2010 Leave a comment

I am inclined to try to go through the 2011-2011 Budget submitted by the City Manager to City Commission on July 7, and presented in a workshop a few days later.  The following will try to highlight some of the most significant aspects of the first full budget prepared by Pat Salerno, City Manager.

The budget involves a reduction of 7.6 percent from last year’s budget (we don’t yet know the final outcome of last year’s budget).  The bulk of the decrease $7.1 million comes from cutting capital expenditures and $4.3 million cuts in the operating budget (and of this $3,6 million salaries and benefits).

Interpretation:

  • A reduction in capital expenditures from one year to the next is totally arbitrary since capital outlays can usually be postponed unless they involve special tied funds that have to go for specific purposes (e.g. road maintenance) required by law and cannot be shifted elsewhere in the budget.  Where did the City get the capital spending number of $4.3 million and why did they budget $11.5 million last year.  Last year’s capital budget could have been much smaller.  And I wonder whether last year’s budget of $11.5 million was really spent–my guess is not given the slowness in the execution of projects in Coral Gables.  So the big reduction in capital spending should be ignored for now.
  • Salary and benefit reductions are only 2.4% of last year’s budget,  a relatively small amount for a city.  And a net reduction in staff  of  17 positions (30 old positions-13 new positions) also is a relatively modest share, about 2%, of the total 791 positions.  All reductions are very low level positions and the new ones are not.  (We look at this in a later post.)

Next,  TAXES.

Filed under Coral Gables, Employees and Unions, Finance

Coral Gables Police and Firefighters Salary Negotiations: 2004!

October 2, 2009 Leave a comment

I cite an article on the Coral Gables website dated 4/15/2004 that indicates that city authorities surveyed comparative public safety wage salaries in the region and found that Coral Gables paid in the top ranges. Some commissioners argued in the recent budget hearing that Coral Gables was forced into paying higher salaries because the city was at a disadvantage in attracting public security personnel. The following clearly suggests that Coral Gables was already paying at the highest salary ranges and that the city negotiated even higher wages than necessary.

A recent comparison of police officers and firefighter salaries (and pension contribution) among all muncipalities in Dade and Broward counties, based on proposed wage increases and on firgures provided by unions, place Coral Gables police officers and firefighters in the top starting salary ranges, as compared to other public safety agencies.

…

City negotiators have offered both unions an 8 percent wage increase, offset by a five percent employee pension contribution over a two-year period. The City has also agreed to annual merit increases (from 3 to 5 percent)…

Filed under Coral Gables, Employees and Unions

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