Oceanside Service Cuts Draw Protests

Nearly 500 people jammed into the Oceanside Civic Center to protest cuts in police and fire service, and, when the emotional meeting ended early Thursday, the City Council still couldn’t decide what to do.

So the council called another meeting for this afternoon in the face of mounting criticism of the city’s plan to erase an expected $5.8-million budget deficit.

The budget-balancing plan, among other things, calls for laying off 95 part-time employees and not filling vacant jobs, grounding the two police helicopters, reassigning a fire engine company and reducing beach lifeguard service.

Of the 45 speakers who assailed the reductions, most spoke strongly on the city’s 5-month-old helicopter program.

San Luis Rey Valley resident Barbara Smith told the council: “We want our helicopters back. I’m not sure it’s a case of want or need.”

She said the helicopters are an essential tool of emergency response in the heavily developed valley, where traffic delays the arrival of police vehicles.

“That helicopter is a godsend to us in the valley,” Smith said.

Mildred Jenkins said the helicopters make her feel more secure at night. “There is nothing more comfortable to me than to look out my bedroom windows and see that helicopter,” she said.

Several law enforcement officers also urged the council to save the helicopters, arguing that they guide and protect ground units in dangerous encounters.

“Don’t put a price tag on my safety,” said Oceanside Police Officer Steve Regalado. “The helicopter is a tool that can fill the gap until we hire enough officers.”

Other speakers opposed the fire and lifeguard cuts.

Mark Alderson, representing the Oceanside Firefighters Assn., said removing one of the city’s six engines from service and reassigning the crew to paramedic duty would hurt a fire department already stretched thin by city growth.

“The doctrine of doing more with less has been tested in the extreme in this case,” he said.

An Oceanside lifeguard, Tom Buckner, noted that city beaches are a summer mecca for North County residents, and that hundreds of rescues are made each year. Lifeguards, he said, “deserve the same consideration as other emergency services.”

After hours of protest that began Wednesday night and ended Thursday morning, the council was undecided on what action to take. Council members agreed to meet again at 2 p.m. today to review budget priorities and determine whether some public safety cuts would be restored.

“It would seem we acted in haste,” Councilman Sam Williams said.

Mayor Larry Bagley said, “I would like to take a little more time and look at this situation.”

The projected deficit was caused by heavy city spending--including for the two police helicopters--a miscalculated beginning balance and dwindling revenue caused by the slow housing market and the recent deployment of thousands of Marines from nearby Camp Pendleton.

Initially, the city staff planned to lay off 87 temporary workers and leave jobs vacant, but that number has grown to 95.