The Colorado Springs Police Protective Association sent out an email calling mayoral candidate Steve Bach a “local developer” who would slash city employees’ pay and benefits to solve the city’s financial problems if he’s elected.
The email was sent to about a dozen city employees at work, prompting Steve Cox, acting city manager, to issue a warning to all employees to stay out of politics while they’re on the clock.
Here’s a copy of the letter sent via email by the PPA:
Dear City Employee,
Please consider the well-researched information in this letter about the upcoming runoff election for Mayor. There are long-term, serious consequences to YOU, whether you are a general City, Hospital or Utilities employee.
On November 16, 2009, an email by Stephen Bartolin (President and CEO of the Broadmoor Hotel) was sent to Mayor Lionel Rivera and City Council, complaining about budget cuts and water rate increases impacting his particular business. He felt these were unfair and unnecessary, and that Council should make cuts in what he called the “Ferrari” package of City employee pay and benefits. He suggested that City employees should receive pay and benefits more in line with those of his hotel’s employees.
In his letter, Mr. Bartolin provided the following “constructive comments” or suggestions about City budget problems:
1. Reduce all City staffing from 1805 to 1550 employees
2. Reduce payroll cost from 70% to 30%
3. Reduce the average per employee cost from $89,196 to $24,460 (including benefits)
4. Reduce the number of salaried employees making more than $100,000 from 67 to the
neighborhood of 13
5. Drive City vehicles at least 200,000 miles and then look at buying used vehicles
6. Move (minimum) retirement age to 60 – no matter how many years of service – both
for collection of pension benefits and for medical insurance
7. Restructure the health insurance program to one comparable to what is being offered
in the private sector and examine the costs shared by the employee
8. Move any retirees reaching age 65 to Medicare and off the City plan
Suggestions 7 and 8 were actually implemented in the 2011 budget. The effect was immediately apparent in your cost of health insurance.
Suggestion 8 was implemented in September of 2010 when the Council adopted
Ordinance 10-74. The long-term effect of this ordinance may increase the after retirement costs of the average Police and Fire retiree currently under the age of 55 by as much as $6,000 per year — excluding inflation of medical costs and any future Medicare reforms. The practical effect may well be that you will never be able to afford to retire.
Mayor Rivera and Council asked Mr. Bartolin to “create an independent advisory group” to consult with the City. The advisory group was formed but had no City managers or employees as members. Not surprisingly, this group agreed with Mr. Bartolin about the “Ferrari” pay and benefits plan. (See Bartolin letter and Mayor Rivera letter on file at the Office of the Mayor)
So what do Mr. Bartolin’s letter and the advisory group have to do with the current race for Mayor?
Steve Bach, a local developer, is a candidate for Mayor and has never held public office.
Most significantly to YOU, Mr. Bach totally espouses the Bartolin and advisory group recommendations drastically cuttings employee pay and benefits – they are the foundation of his “plan” to solve the City’s financial problems as he sees them. (See his web site under the Action Plan tab at http://www.stevebachmayor.com). Mr. Bach’s candidacy is supported by the Broadmoor Hotel and Steve Bartolin and many private sector interests who stand to profit from his “outsourcing” ideas. He has been publically endorsed by the Colorado director of Americans for Prosperity, a partisan political group started and funded by Kansas oil billionaires which is targeting public employees and their pay and benefits across the country (Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennesee and New Jersey, for example). Another partisan political group, Magellan Strategies, has made telephone “push-polls” to Colorado Springs voters, supporting Mr. Bach and distorting his opponent’s record, values and proposals. Just ask yourself – should there be a “partisan” way to provide police or fire services or medical care, to pave streets or plow snow, or provide electricity and clean water? Or to compensate public employees for their service?
Richard Skorman is also running for Mayor. You may know Richard or recognize his name. For over twenty years he has been a Colorado Springs resident, and a downtown business owner whose employees enjoy a living wage and health insurance. He has real experience in City government, having been a Councilman, a Vice Mayor, and Chairman of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments. He understands the complicated nature of governmental, economic and legal issues facing the City. He has proved his respect for City employees and his willingness to work with them. (See http://www.skorman4mayor.com)
There are many challenges facing the City in the next four years. These are difficult times and many people are struggling. Any solution must involve shared sacrifices. However, Mr. Bach and his supporters have targeted YOU as a City employee as the key problem, and drastic cuts in your pay and benefits as the key solution. Do you feel this is a “shared” sacrifice or a fair one? Do you think you have a “Ferrari” benefits plan? Do you think you can support yourself and your family on a proposed salary of $24,460 including benefits as Mr. Bach seems to believe?
The stakes of this election are high for all City employees. PLEASE – please take the time to vote for Richard Skorman for Mayor. Please consider contributing to his runoff campaign, and contact your friends and neighbors and ask them to support Richard for Mayor. And remember to vote by mailing or dropping off your ballot so it is received by May 17th.
Thank you!
So just because the police say it is so, it is so? They sent Skorman 30k, they clearly are invested in him winning. Has anyone heard Bach say he would do anything like to this? I have seen him speak 4 times and spoken with him twice. This is not how he talks about his plans for the city. So it’s just made up as far as I can see.
Do you think Bach would admit to these cuts during an election?!?! Come on…..it’s politics! The real agenda will be seen once they are in office. I think I should run for mayor.
3. Reduce the average per employee cost from $89,196 to $24,460 (including benefits)
=================
You would have no police or fire fighters. That proposal is idiotic.
Juan, so they just get to make up what they think gets there guy elected?
The only thing Richard Skorman’s (Name in 2008 Top Activist of the Year by The Independent) and his campaign manager (John Weiss from The Independent) along his Actvists supporters (Rita Ague, photographed by his side,walking with him in Manitou Springs parade, Mark Lewis, CSAction.org, or Patrick Ayers . . . is following Saul Alinksy Rules for Radicals.
Google these supporters and remember that our next Mayor can hire a Chief of Staff.
Check out the invitation posted in today’s Indy/Hazlehurst blog that was sent out by The Broadmoor (Steve Bartolin, et al), who is hosting a fund raiser for Bach. Price of admission: a mere $200. And (per the invitation) guests are not limited to how much they can contribute to Bach’s campaign.
Steve Cox was correct for advising city employees to keep politics strictly “off the clock.” But CSPPA is right on the money regarding their allegations about Bartolin’s recommendations on how Bach (The Broadmoor’s personal pick for mayor) should balance the budget on the backs of those same city employees.
This is pure irony.
We do have spending problem in Colorado Springs, but I have never heard Mr. Bach speak of the deep cuts mentioned above nor are they in his action plan on his website.
The gentleman that sent this letter to his employees will soon have to collaborate with this new form of government. If he were a visionary leader in his current role he would have began to run a more efficient organization long ago, panicking now is a bit too late. His letter and actions only create increased uncertainty for his employees that already operate in a stressful environment. 9/11 changed everything in America – Both Private sector and Public sector jobs changed! So, be thankful for what you have had thus far. Nothing is ever guranteed. This community should understand this.
This is 2011 – we have to be adaptable and flexible to address issues and find solutions. What worked well (or not so well) in the past may not work as well now. We need a leader that is not afraid to ask hard questions.
We all live in the city and want it ran very well AND within the limits of the budgets.
Both candidates recognize the importance of the valuable services provided to keep our city safe. However, I personally believe Mr. Bach exemplifies the type of leader we need for our city.
The PPA memo is shameful.
CSPPA has demonstrated the inherent conflict of an organization that uses dues from it’s taxpayer-paid members to lobby for more benefits for it’s members, from the same tax-payers that pay their salary.
It has been said that if our motives are pure, they should withstand scrutiny – when the Gazette published city salaries, you could hear the hue and cry in Denver, and the threats of legal action were rampant. Very interesting.
Unfortunately, the provision of services to citizens has taken a back seat to the CSPPA “self-licking ice cream cone”.
It’s hard to take on the police and the firefighters, which is why so many local politicos cower in their presence and give them anything they want, in terms of pay and benefits, but if their candidate Skorman is elected they will run this city and we will never get spending on city salaries under control. They choose to do dangerous work. But that’s a choice. It doesn’t entitle them to suck-up every spare dollar of public money. Previous city leaders from Bob Izaac to former cop Lorn Cramer gave them everything they wanted, but with city employees, they always want more. I don’t believe Mr. Bach has it in for them, but if he’ll stand up to them and not kowtow to them, he’s got my support.
Well reasoned proudvet.
On the front page of the CSPPA Website
IMPORTANT- please read!
This is a letter (not authored by the PPA) that the PPA BOD feels accurately describes the political maneuvers that are surrounding us in this Mayoral runoff. Please read, be informed, and share with others.
IT IS THAT IMPORTANT!
CSPPA buying a seat on Skorman Transition Team?
“B Owenby (retired) spoke about Public Employees PAC and labor unions/teachers unions and the election. He feels strongly that the PPA needs to come together with teachers, firefighters, police, Anilities, Memorial Hospital, etc. Create an umbrella group to have a serious impact on city politics. He suggested that we ask Skorman if we can have a seat at the table on his transition team. We may also explain to Skorman that we have more funds to donate at the right time to assist in his bid for mayor.”
Typical, No objections to organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, the association of relators, and other organizations because they represent C. E. O. ‘s and relators. But Unions? God have mercy on my soul because I used a word that is considered profanity in Colorado Springs. Count the letters in the word “Union” it is 5 letters. Beep Beep and others just hate it when working people want a voice in our government. Police and Firemen deserve our respect, they have a dangerous Job. I guess we should just Hire HSS Security to patrol the streets of Colorado Springs instead of CSPD.
Susie you sound like a liberal with what you said.
I like the idea of privatizing the Police!
Security Guards instead of CSPD
Yes, this is why Bach has my vote.
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