Huntington Beach Draws Protest for Pay Raise to 41

Taxpayers Action Network, an 800-member countywide group which was instrumental in pressuring the county Board of Supervisors to rescind its pay raise, is now protesting a recent pay hike given to 41 city employees.

The city staff earlier this month was granted a 5% raise for this year, with another 6% to be added in December, 1992.

“This is inappropriate at a time when even private businesses are not giving cost-of-living pay raises,” said Ray Harbour, spokesman for the citizens’ group.

City officials, however, said the pay raise for the 41 management officials and secretaries is the same percentage as that previously given the city’s union-represented employees with the exception of firefighters. The firefighters still are without a contract.

Mayor Peter M. Green said Friday that giving the 41 non-union employees the raise was simply a matter of fairness.

“With the exception of the firefighters, who are seeking a higher percentage, we approved this same pay raise for all our other employees several months ago,” said Green.

The City Council approved the pay raise for the non-union workers Nov. 18, drawing criticism from Huntington Beach Tomorrow, a controlled-growth organization.

“The only acceptable salary increase in these difficult times is zero percent,” said Dave Sullivan, president of Huntington Beach Tomorrow.

On Friday, the countywide Taxpayers Action Network joined in the criticism.

“The city of Huntington Beach is facing a $6.5-million deficit (next fiscal year) and is trying to find ways to save that much money, but it then votes a pay raise (for the 41 workers) that will cost the city $192,000 a year,” Harbour said. He added that about 50 of the 800 dues-paying members of Taxpayers Action Network live in Huntington Beach.

Green said the criticism is not justified. “When the city negotiated the pay raises eight months ago (with the union employees), we had no idea that the recession would be continuing so long,” Green said.

However, he added that the city may try to renegotiate the raises. The city has appointed a citizens’ advisory panel on the budget, and Green said it is possible that the panel may recommend cutting or abolishing the pay raises given this year.

The budget advisory group is scheduled to make its recommendations to the City Council by mid-December, the mayor said.