As you know, we have had significant and problematic issues in some of our Contract Cities with regard to budget, staffing, and safety in these areas we serve.

 

Most notably the City of El Monte voted to lay off police officers and close a fire station as a solution to their budget woes. We provided a very sound funding solution to the city officials and provided legal and budget help to pave the way to solvency and yet 3 out of 5 city officials would not embrace the solutions. 

 

In addition to winning in virtually every city election we were active in, the highlights are going 3 for 3 in the City of El Monte and ousting two long time, corrupt incumbents who have been committed to blind, unsafe reductions in service levels in the city.

 

Andre Quintero, a long time friend and Rio Hondo School Board Member was overwhelmingly elected as Mayor of El Monte soundly defeating Incumbent Mayor Earnest Gutierrez. Also victorious was Norma Macias a local architect, business woman and friend and advocate of Local 1014 as well as Incumbent Councilman Jay Gomez, a field Deputy for Supervisor Mike Antonovich and a supporter of Local 1014 membership were also elected to the City Council seats due to our efforts.

 

We are looking forward to working with all of the El Monte City Council for immediate short term solutions to re-open fire station 167, and also on some long term funding solutions to make sure we have safe staffing levels in the area. We are exploring using SAFER Act Grant monies with IAFF’s help under the new criteria to prevent position loss and reductions in force. 

 

We also helped re-elect Mayor Larry Guidi and his supporters in the Contract City of Hawthorne and this greatly helps not only the stability of Hawthorne, but the surrounding Contract Cities as well. 

 

In Pomona, an existing user fee that was going to sunset if not reaffirmed by the voters, putting a substantial drain on the coffers, passed with a wide margin due to the fact that Local 1014 and Local 1014 only launched a television and mail campaign to educate the voters on the importance of the issue. Combined with our City Council support, we carried the day and once again provided partnering help to the elected officials in a time of financial burden.

 

Those were the three items that were at the forefront of our November 2009 Political Action program and we are certain to see stability and rebuild in those areas as a result of our efforts, but there is much work to be done because even with the votes to help, we need financial solutions that work and we will partner with the Cities to get that piece done next.

 

All in all there were elections in Agoura Hills , Artesia, Baldwin Park, Bell Gardens, Diamond Bar, Duarte, El Monte, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, La Puente, Lynwood, Maywood, Palmdale, Pico Rivera, Pomona, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills Estates, and South El Monte, and Local 1014 helped elect or re-elect candidates we supported at nearly 90% success rate.

 

Having elected officials in all of our cities to work with on funding, staffing, health and safety and pay and benefit issues is key to a stable and balanced Fire District and therefore excellent working conditions for our members. 

 

This does not come easily or for free. Once again, we have used hard earned dues money and political action monies to fund our efforts and we now begin to rebuild the war chests again for the 2010 Local and State Elections that are just around the corner.

 

We will have a Governors race and all of the Constitutional Seats to go along with the Assembly and Senate contests to add to our City efforts. There will likely be more pension and health and welfare attacks in January also and we may be looking at our own special fire tax for a modification or augmentation heading into the next few years.

 

We are having to get more involved in the local city races because of the fact that the latest cities are “Fee for Service” cities that pay as they go after their initial contracts are expired. Elected officials in these cities become key, along with the city managers to ensure support of safe staffing levels and contract stability through good faith negotiations.

 

We are also looking at the out years when term limits will open up three more Board of Supervisors Seats, and as you know, those races aren’t cheap and aren’t for the faint of heart.

 

How will we get it all done? Hard work, relationships, risk, candidate recruitment, and most of all MONEY to pay for it all is how. The costs have gone up substantially to participate, much less be at the forefront of the efforts. We can honestly say the stability we enjoy right now, and the gains we made up to this point all stem from pro-active, strong political action as a base.

 

We cannot continue to perform at the levels we have been performing at without the membership backing to get it done. Attorneys, consultants, mail, television, internet mediums and signature gathering expenses are all part of the deal and we are having to spend more in each race and we have to remain active in every election cycle in the “Fee for Service” Contract Cities because of the volatility of the contracts in those areas. 

 

On the heels of yet another remarkable level of success in our political action program in El Monte and the other cities, and with what is on the horizon, we must visit our dues structure and pre-plan a war chest that outfits us to be pro-active and be strong in advance of the issues at hand such as pension protection, health care system protection, and of course salary protections in our County, Cities and the State. We hope you agree and will work to support a position of strength in the near future to protect “our future”. 

 

Congratulations to the entire membership on our victories and thank you for your support of the Executive Board and Staff to make it happen once again. Remarkable!

 

Stay Safe and Stay Tuned in to the Issues, check the website and sign up for our web-blasts to stay informed... www.local1014.org 

 

For full election results log on to www.lavote.net and select election results…