The police and fire departments are highly regarded amongst the public. According to the fire department’s union, they are asking for health benefits and retention pay to help recruitment and retention efforts. Would you, as a councilmember, support funding the union’s requests? If so, how would you fund these increased benefits?
Nancy Beninati
(NancyforPiedmont.com)
I support and appreciate the hard work of our police, fire, and city employees. I believe all Piedmont employees should be paid fairly and competitively, consistent with what the City can responsibly afford.
The City must carefully evaluate any proposals and the longterm fiscal impacts to make a decision that best serves our community as a whole. While Piedmont has some wealthy residents, the City’s revenue streams are limited and rely heavily on property taxes. Any significant increase in compensation or benefits must be considered in the context of the entire City budget, the needs of all City employees, and other important City priorities.
I support Measure GG because it would provide the City with additional ongoing revenue for parks, recreation, infrastructure, maintenance, and other City needs, including employee compensation. But additional revenue does not eliminate the need to make difficult budget choices.
As a councilmember, I would support fair compensation while also making sure that any agreement is financially sustainable and treats all of our employees fairly. Ultimately, the Council and City will have to balance competitive compensation with the City’s overall financial constraints and the priorities of the community.
