Pomona council takes another swing at the budget, considers fire cuts

POMONA - With a deadline to adopt a budget just six days away, City Council members will take on a proposed operating budget Wednesday and attempt to adopt a document loaded with across-the-board cuts.

By next Tuesday, Pomona must adopt the budget and iron out several issues including a sticky proposal to take a fire engine out of service for nine months at downtown's Fire Station 181 to save $1.4 million.

Councilman Steve Atchley said today he thinks the budget and fire department cuts will be finalized at Wednesday's meeting.

The proposed fire department reductions are "an integral part of the budget," Atchley said.

It may be possible to make some minor adjustments to the budget but as of today, Atchley said, "there is nowhere else in the budget to come up with that kind of money."

Atchley said a representatives from Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Michael Freeman's office is expected to attend Wednesday's meeting and may bring alternatives to save money and keep the engine in service. Pomona contracts for fire service with the county Fire Department.

Representatives of Los Angeles County Firefighters Local 1014 attended last week's meeting and called on the council to refrain from making the cuts, saying the department is already running a bare-bones operation.

Local 1014 is a politically active labor group which donates to the political campaigns of many elected officials, including five of the seven City Council members.

The council members received financial or other campaign support from two committees with ties to the union: Local 1014 Legislative Fund Committee and the Firefighters Organized, Ready & Committed in Emergencies.

The latter contributes to political campaigns and lists as its mailing address the same address as that of Local 1014.

In 2006, during Elliott Rothman's re-election campaign to the District 6 council seat, Firefighters Organized, Ready & Committed in Emergencies spent $5,309 in his support, according to campaign expenditure reports.

In Rothman's 2008 mayoral campaign, Local 1014's Legislative Fund Committee donated $1,000.

In Councilman Freddie Rodriguez's case, the firefighters' political group spent $5,314 in 2006, the year Rodriguez was elected to the council. The same year he received $500 from Local 1014's Legislative Committee.

The firefighters' political group spent $5,243 supporting Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa during her 2006 campaign.

During Atchley's 2006 campaign, in which he was elected to the council for the first time, the firefighters political group spent $5,265 supporting him.

Councilwoman Danielle Soto, elected for the first time in November, reported a $500 contribution from Local 1014's Legislative Fund Committee.

Councilwoman Paula Lantz did not receive any support by either group. Councilman Tim Saunders was appointed to his council seat in December and hasn't run for office.

Also during the 2008 election, Local 1014's Legislative Fund Committee contributed $15,000 to Citizens For A Safer and Greener Pomona, which sent out election mailers for Rothman and Atchley.

Two of the mailers drew criticism from then-Pomona Police Chief Joe Romero. The mailers, Romero said at the time, implied he endorsed the candidates, which he did not. 

Atchley said the support he's received from firefighters in the past won't influence his vote on the fire issue.

"I'm always grateful for support but you have to do what is best for the city," he said adding that is the approach he'll take even if it means losing that support later.

Carrizosa said she has received the support in the past from the firefighters group and appreciates it but she separates its activities from her campaign.

"They do what they do," she said.

During her first campaign in the 1990s Carrizosa said she received some donations from individual firefighters but not since.

As for the budget allocation for fire services, Carrizosa said, something will have to be worked out that falls within the financial means of the city.

When it comes to the budget as a whole, Carrizosa said she would prefer to hold off on making a decision for a a day or two to wait and see what the state will do about it's own budget.

That time will allow the city to get an idea as to what positive or negative effects state law makers decisions will have on local governments' budgets, she said.