Somewhere amidst all the rhetoric being spewed over North Miami Beach’s budget crisis there is the truth. Reasonable people know this. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be enough reason to go around these days. Panic, however, is in abundant supply.
In response to the City Manager’s directive to cut $4 million from its budget, the NMB Police Department’s immediate reaction was to put out the now infamous “List of 24” police officers that just had to be fired. The Police Department insisted this was the only way it could meet the City Manager’s “unreasonable” demand.
Not letting a good crisis go to waste, the union’s political machine quickly printed flyers, sent out emails and walked the streets on an unrelenting campaign to scare residents into believing that their lives were in serious danger from rampant and unchecked crime. The propaganda included pleas for the residents to contact their representatives at City Hall and tell them that they are outraged and want to keep the Police Department intact. The media, of course, was contacted and the press went into overdrive, reporters falling all over themselves to get the scoop. Sensationalized headlines such as “NMB may fire 20 percent of police force,” “North Miami Beach Police Jobs May Be on the Line,” “Chief Fired, Layoffs Looming in North Miami Beach,” were splashed across newspapers and television screens. In the tradition of Saul Alynsky’s Rules for Radicals, first create a crisis, then demonize the “perpetrator,” incite a class war, then benefit from the fallout. Yes, the spin was on.
Quite a few residents who were sucked in by the agitprop, sent emails to the mayor and council begging them to raise their taxes in order to stop the firing of the cops. How altruistic of them! Unfortunately, the ones who offered to be taxed were the ones who could obviously afford paying more. These are the people who earn a lot more money than the median income per capita in North Miami Beach of $18,080.00. Yes! Imagine that! There are actually people who live on EIGHTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR! And, that’s only the MEDIAN INCOME! “Median” means “average.” “Average” means that for every person in North Miami Beach making more than $18,080.00 there is someone making less. Some making much, much less. So, while the folks in the more affluent neighborhoods of North Miami Beach could easily pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more in property taxes, a vast majority of the residents in the rest of the ‘hood have to decide between buying milk or eggs because they can’t afford to buy both. Never mind bread! Have you seen the price of groceries lately? I’m sure this is probably shocking news to some of the residents, but as hard as it is to believe, some of the rich folks here don’t understand that not everyone has a Mercedes and a Beamer parked in a two car garage.
In addition, even if you raise everyone’s property taxes to the highest legal maximum rate, you won’t even raise enough revenue to cover probably half of the almost $8 million hole in the budget. This is simple economics.
Speaking of those of us who live in the ‘hood, some of the comments posted on one of the Miami Herald articles were complaints about the North Miami Beach cops not living in our city. Now, I couldn’t care less where someone lives as opposed to where they work. It’s a free country. I live here and work in Fort Lauderdale and I’d kick someone’s ass if they complained to me. But, then again, I work in the private sector and it’s a completely different mindset. I do understand the rationale that if city employees actually live in the city, they would have more of a sense of ownership of the community and pride in their work. That does make sense. It makes even more sense if you consider that the the cops can take their patrol cars home, which is the current policy (it may be changing). If “home” is 30 or 40 miles away, that’s a lot of gas, not to mention wear and tear on the vehicles. However, justified or not, much has been made about the fact that only two of our police officers live in our city. Whatever.
What is really, really disturbing is a response posted by someone called “supportyourpd.” This person made several other comments in the article and it was very clear by the content of them that this person is a North Miami Beach police officer. In reply to the question about why this cop doesn’t live in NMB, “supportyourpd” wrote:
“Because the only place we would want to be is E. Shores. The taxes there are high. The rest of the city is mostly unappealing to live in. Not to mention, we wouldn’t want to live in an area infested with the people we arrest. We have to be able to sleep at night too.”
OMIGOD THAT WAS SO NOT COOL! It wasn’t very smart, either.
When I read this comment, my first thought was, “Whoa, Dude! Ninety percent of the residents of our city would be unappealing to have as neighbors, but you have no problem taking our unappealing money!”
Never mind that we’re infested!
Yeah, that pissed me off.
Obviously, the agitprop is working.
Two other incidents happened yesterday that gave me a hint there’s a class war is brewing. I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m anti-union. My feelings are pretty much summed up in a column entitled The SEUI Pigs Fly (http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/johnransom/2011/07/26/the_seiu_pigs_fly/page/full/), which is about the antics of the largest service union in the country. The columnist wrote, “So, the SEIU is hardly the right group to be out talking up job creation. They spent the last few years trying very hard to guarantee that SEIU members would have to be laid off in higher numbers by not making concessions on benefits to help ailing state budgets… Unions are, at their core, anti-job creation because they are always looking for bigger slice of the existing pie while jobs represent slicing the pie into more pieces.” That about sums up my feelings.
My husband, on the other hand, is a union man. He’s proud of it and he’ll tell you so. I’m always accusing him of being a closet Democrat, which he denies – but not too loudly. Carmen is the first one to stand up for workers’ rights, and he’s also one of the biggest supporters of law enforcement that I know. He never drives past a North Miami Beach police officer without honking and waving hello, even if he doesn’t personally know the cop. Which makes yesterday’s incidents even more distressing.
Carmen called me yesterday afternoon to tell me that he got his first ever traffic ticket right in North Miami Beach (and maybe the first in over thirty years anywhere). He told me he had actually pulled his car over to say hello to a cop that he’s casually known for a while, and all of a sudden the cop acted like they were complete strangers. According to my husband, the cop was extremely curt to him, almost to the point of being rude. Now, of course I wasn’t there. I only know that Carmen was pretty damn worked up about it. In fact, he was more angry about the treatment he received than getting the actual ticket. He met with interim Chief Larry Gomer and told him if the cops were pissed at his wife (that’d be me) then they should give the ticket to me and not him. Yeah, Carmen, just throw your wife under the bus. KIDDING! But, seriously, if they’re ticked off at me, they shouldn’t take it out on my husband!
The second incident happened during last night’s budget workshop when Carmen attempted to say hello to a certain officer who is extremely well known, liked and respected in North Miami Beach. I’m not going to name him here, but suffice it to say, this is a cop that almost everyone in NMB reveres. This officer at first refused to even acknowledge my husband, and when Carmen tried to talk to him, the cop angrily spat out, “I’m not talking to YOU!” My husband tried to find out why this cop was so angry and he wouldn’t even discuss it. Period. Needless to say, Carmen was completely perplexed. Again, he thought maybe it was because of me, but who knows?
Here’s the thing. I have no idea if my husband deserved the traffic ticket or not. I have no idea why this other cop is so pissed at him. I do know that Carmen has always supported the North Miami Beach police officers, and he’s been very vocal about his support.
I do know that I received “hate mail” from someone calling himself “nmbblue,” which I wrote about yesterday (https://www.votersopinion.com/?p=390).
I do know that someone calling himself “supportyourpd” thinks that the residents of North Miami Beach outside of Eastern Shores are nothing but riff raff, and that our city is “infested with the people [they] arrest.” Yeah, that’s real nice!
Aside from our budget problems, which are huge, I’d hate to think that the residents are now going to have to worry about whether or not their own Police Department is turning on them. I’d hate to think that it’s not just a few bad apples, but that a deep resentment fanned by political spin is spreading like an insidious virus throughout the department. I’d hate to think that this attitude will now be so “infested” among our officers that they will start treating us as the enemy instead of the public that they swore to protect and serve.
I really, really, really love the fact that we have our own Police Department. I would not want to disband the NMBPD and contract with the Miami-Dade Police Department. But, if the residents of North Miami Beach have to live in fear of the very cops that we look to for protection and safety, I’d just as soon let the County take over. I wouldn’t be happy about it, but we certainly don’t need this aggravation on top of the rest of our problems.
I certainly hope these are isolated and unrelated incidents. I certainly hope this is not the start of a trend. If it is, I hope that Chief Gomer will stop it before it goes any further.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Sorry for Carmen and his episodes with his police friends.
Most residents would agree, having our own Police Dept. is a plus. However, paying out exorbitant fees to have this, is a MUST NOT.
We would support those cops who would support adjustments in their salaries and pensions to suit our city and country’s economic chaos. Those who do not want to renegotiate their packages, can leave.
There are many folks living in our very own community and close by who is well capable, and will take half as much and do twice as much.
See below of what is currently earned by a sergeant and an officer.
EXPENSE IN PROPOSED 2012 BUDGET PRESENTED 17th JUL 2011
UNIFORM SERVICES
POLICE SERGEANT
SALARY 100,153
CELL $600
FICA $7,722
RETIREMENT – POLICE PLAN $72,361
HEALTH INSURANCE $11,917
GROUP LIFE INSURANCE $402
ACCIDENTAL DEATH & DISMEMBERMENT $33
DENTAL $0
TRAVEL & EXPENSES *
TRANSFER TO WORKERS COMP-SELF INS $3,404
UNIFORM CLEANING $500
TOTAL $197,092
*City provided vehicle, fuel, maintenance
EXPENSE IN PROPOSED 2012 BUDGET PRESENTED 17JUL11
UNIFORM SERVICES
POLICE OFFICER:
SALARY $75,916
CELL $0
FICA $5,815
RETIREMENT – POLICE PLAN $54,849
HEALTH INSURANCE $11,917
GROUP LIFE INSURANCE $315
ACCIDENTAL DEATH & DISMEMBERMENT $26
DENTAL $0
TRAVEL & EXPENSES *
TRANSFER TO WORKERS COMP-SELF INS $2,581
UNIFORM CLEANING $500
TOTAL $151,919
*City provided vehicle, fuel, maintenance
So freaking unbelievable!!
Darn! They were quietly drying our coffers. No wonder the wolf crying. This is so absurd!
The NMBPD at $18, 20 or $22 million has become more of a liability than an asset for our city.
First Ms. Kienzle let me thank you for your terrific blog. I only learned about our city’s politics just a few years ago. In fact I never voted in local elections until I received a knock at my door by a candidate running for council. The candidate was so compelling and had literally sucked me in to the city’s issues. Shame on me for not being involved when I moved here, but better late than never. During this last election I received word of your blog and I must say every city should have a resident like you and a blog like yours. You seem to always hit the nail on the head. You are amusing when amusement can’t escape your notice and your are serious when we need a dose of reality. This brings me to commenting on your blog regarding Bad Apples. I have not been approached by a police officer yet regarding the possibility that they could be affected by the budget, but if I was I would listen to what they had to say and politely go about my business afterwards. I would not stir up conversation to allow the bullying tactics to overwhelm me. I have to think that the public is smart enough to know what the UNIONS are doing, if not they have their head in the sand. I don’t believe our elected officials nor the new city manager would allow our PD to become ineffective by letting go of officers, because if that was the case we should just close the department and let the County take over. I don’t want that to happen, but how bad is bad? Only time will tell as the budget process continues.
I’m insulted by the comments that we are riff raff because we don’t live in Eastern Shores. I happen to love my neighborhood and better yet my neighbors. There are always undesirable areas in communities unless of course you live in places like Bal Harbour, Golden Beach or Aventura. This is not a Utopia and I wouldn’t want to live like that. I treasure this area because there are so many different people all living under the same sun. In fact you are inspiring me to get the word out of what the Police Department is doing by invoking terror into our community. Our city is not sustainable for the future generations if we keep up the same old same old. The employees are thinking of themselves not the tax payers. Life is different now for them, for me and the rest of the nation. I should hope that 42,000 residents aren’t sacrificed for 24 or more officers, and not that I want to see 24 officers be let go, I’m just saying we need to preserve North Miami Beach and also be concerned for its future not just what is good today.
Stephanie 1st I’d like to say I dont normally respond to blogs and the such, but reading through the above I felt the need to respond.
I can’t speak on the actions of the officers actions that you spoke of above. If I have an issue with you I would take it up with you not your husband.
As far as living in the city where we work as a police officer, not many would. Especially those of us with family and are proactive… There are many subjects arrested by officers in the dept that would love to get back at them or their families… I am not going to divulge specifics but has happened to a few of us. If we resided in the same city as these people how much easier would it be for them to find me, my wife, or my children and actually commit the violence that they have threatened to do.
The 24 officers being threatened to be fired is a what the city manager wants and it also includes 13 civilian police employees. The chief finally went to bat for the dept and its employees and explained there was no way to meet what Bonner wanted and was then terminated on the spot…. b/c the city didn’t want to work things out any other way and I believe they were just looking for a reason to get rid of the chief…
Most officers are willing to workout whatever it is we have to workout to keep our brothers and sisters employed, but ask Carmen if he would be willing to take a 26% pay cut, and pay out more for his health insurance (which is the worst rated medical insurance company), pay out more for the take homes within reason that is (another thing most of us understand), but by the end of all this I think I’ll end having to pay the city just for the right to come to work… is that fair… Plus the books still have not been opened to us or anyone for that matter…. Where did the urgency problem disappear to…
So Stephanie what do you think we should do get through all this… should the bottom 24 officers and 13 civilians just sit aside and not fight to keep their jobs… some of which have been here for over 5 years which is over a quarter of their career? most of which have families to support and children…. most who get by on what are pay scale is due to the fact we havent had a raise in over 3 years… and yet we still take increases to paying for health insurance… we keep giving to this city… yes it may not be a war zone but it sure as hell aint mayberry… but ill tell you this, we lose the 24 officers and all the specialty units which keep the bad guys in check you will learn to live in a war zone… and we will still do our best to provide a professional service to you and the rest of the citizens of nmb but it will just be trying….
warmest…
blueman, I normally don’t brag about my children…well, okay, I do. In this case, it’s warranted. My second son graduated Magna Cum Laude from one of the most prestigious liberal arts colleges in the country, which accepts only about 5% of the applicants, where he majored in Linguistics, and has the certifications for a double major in Mathematics. He was the first Junior in the college’s history to receive the Frank Deford Award for his writing. He had a paper published by a major university in Pennsylvania before he even graduated. Upon graduation he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
Armed with all these degrees, accolades and awards, he followed his life long dream and became…a middle school math teacher. This is a job for which he is grossly overqualified, but one that is his true calling.
The starting salary? Forty Thousand Dollars! This is approximately one tenth of what his college education cost. Luckily he received a full scholarship.
At the end of his second year of teaching, he was fired due to budget cuts in Broward County, all first and second year teachers were let go regardless of their qualifications. The principal, who handed him his pink slip while in tears, told him she had no choice. He was one of the best teachers that school has ever had!
But, guess what? Shit happens.
My son didn’t go storming the school board and intimidating the public. My son didn’t send out flyers to the parents (taxpayers) asking them to send emails and make phone calls to his bosses. My son didn’t use scare tactics on the kids by telling them that the quality of teaching would be compromised because he was fired. Any of this sound familiar?
My son didn’t do any of these things. He didn’t piss and moan and sit on a pity pot. What he did do is look for another job. Luckily, he found one.
He’s still making roughly half of what I’m now finding out is the average salary of NMB cops. With my son’s intelligence, education and credentials, he should be making twice what the cops make. Yet, somehow he’s not complaining. Guess he’s just grateful to be employed. He also understands simple economics. You can’t spend money you don’t have.
As for Carmen’s salary, he did take a twenty something percent pay cut by retiring. On top of that cut, we now also pay 100% of our own health insurance, which comes to about $1,100.00 a month. How would that work out for you?
With respect to your not getting raises in three years, you do get Cost Of Living raises, something that most of us here in the private sector, a/k/a the real world, don’t get any more. My “pension” consists of whatever I can scrape together to put into an Individual Retirement Account. I don’t have the luxury of having an employer who contributes 89% into a pension for me. I get a paycheck. Period.
Here in the real world, companies are being downsized like crazy. Pink slips are being handed out like candy on Halloween. Times are tough for EVERYONE. No one wants to see anyone lose their job. But the bullying, threatening and intimidation tactics are not making it easier for us to care.
Growing up I was encouraged to do well in school, work hard and find a career that I enjoyed, one that paid decent but more importantly had benefits and retirement. Benefits and retirement really stuck in my head. As I found myself in this career, I worked midnights, weekends, holidays, summers, hurricanes etc. I put my life on the line and come to work every day mentally prepared for any situation that I might face during my shift. I took this job knowing these things and that was a risk I would take knowing the benefits I would receive. A job that many didn’t take either because they were afraid or because the requirements were too restrictive. The friends I grew up with traveled on different career paths. They went to the corporate world travelled, received nice bonuses and pay raises as the market soared. My salary as a LEO slowly crept up but in no comparison or nowhere near my friends in the corporate world and never did we enjoy the luxury of bonuses. My realtor and mortgage broker friends and those in corporate America made tons of money and not a one blinked an eye at my measly little civil service job. I missed many family functions because I was on shift work. These things I knew when I took this job, knowing the benefits guaranteed if I worked until retirement. My pay didn’t fluctuate with the market but I chose career stability and benefits over big pay. As the market started to crumble my civil service job didn’t seem so measly.
It is obvious some reforms are necessary. The last several years we have not had raises and last year signed a contract that cut pay and/or benefits for everyone. I find it interesting that the previous Mayor and CM and their antics could not be trusted and we know the issues with the written budget in years past, but you do not question the numbers presented today. Just the first few questions by the council on day one found many discrepancies. Where did the State of Urgency go? Look at where CM Boner came from in Okeechobee County where last year they threatened layoffs of their officers due to budget restraints. Funny that must be his solution. So, for $160k a year or whatever he is being paid that’s his hard sought out solution. Boy he really had to think about that one. Cut police because we are a large portion of the budget. Duh 24 hour operation, high liability and the need for on-going training. The numbers presented in the budget… “estimates”…are low balled so they can make cuts. Nobody is questioning this fuzzy math. Why? Because they have selective questioning. They do not want to question the math because the numbers give them what their ultimate goal is…to cut employees. Perfect fit and exactly what the new CM was hired to do. This is a short time job for him which is why his wife and family didn’t move with him.
Many of the officers that are in danger of being laid off are officers that have been on for as much as 5 years. I would assume that when your husband worked for MDFD and had 15 plus years on you would hope that if people were being laid off that his seniority would account for something. On the other side, however, it is important for the Union to get involved to protect the employee from unfair treatment. We are not asking for raises or benefit increases and we have already taken concessions realizing today’s economy. What we will not have is a city that rides the “we are poor wave” and fudges the numbers to lay off employees and cut benefits these employees have earned and bargained for.
No one discusses the fact that we pay over 10% into our pension higher than anyone in South Florida and probably the whole state. In addition, we have Social Security, Insurance and all the other deductions everyone else enjoys. The attorney hired by the city to visit pension alternatives said the officers paid the highest percentage he knew of into the pension. He also stated that one of the reasons for the pension being in the financial state it is in is because of the years that the City did not pay into the Pension the monies it should have. This is our fault? We don’t vote these people in.
Remember we are not a regular Monday- Friday 9-5 job so there needs to be some benefits to attract and keep quality employees. Look into the history of Police, this is a profession, there are standards. Look historically at departments that have had lay-offs or lowered the pay and you will see that the quality of officer goes down and corruption goes up. We have stayed in this job not only because we enjoy it, but knowing the time we have already invested and hope that we are lucky enough to survive it and make it to retirement as your husband now enjoys.
So at the end of the day the question is why don’t you question these numbers a little bit? What about that Financial Urgency claim that was all of a sudden withdrawn? Why do you take for gold what is printed out by this administration? You sure questioned it in the past. You of all I would expect to do a little digging and not take the government for face value. Where is the conspiracy theory? Money to hide, flubbing the numbers.
Btw…we do not get cost of living. You were misinformed. So to clarify we HAVE NOT had any raises.
Thanks for letting me know. I will check my source to see why I thought there were cost of living raises.