Re “Morale Will Be Devastated if City Workers Leave En Masse”
Re “Malsin ‘Is Trying to Protect Himself,’ Says ‘Disappointed’ Mayor O’Leary”
In view of what City Councilman Scott Malsin wrote last week, you may want to re-print my June 24 opinion piece (see below).
I would want to caution any members of the Culver City Employee Assn. who disagree with Mayor O'Leary's opinion on the subject of reduced benefits that they listen to him and hear what he has to say.
Whatever they do, I suggest not sending out emails to all of their members bashing him, writing articles accusing him of not having all the facts or hanging up the phone on him if they don't like his opinions.
This is the old policeman coming out in me but my suggestion would be :
“Remain silent because anything you say will be used against you.”
[Editor’s Note: Mr. Smith’s June 24 essay.]
Scott Malsin is the man who came to the City Council to serve the community he lives in and nothing more.
The Police Dept. Command Staff is only with the Police Dept. to serve the citizens of Culver City.
Without these people, crime would touch every citizen, and Culver City would be a Community of Victims.
This week we learned that these people are not serving because of high ideals for public service but instead for the lifetime paid healthcare insurance for them and their families.
The question is, Do you take the $20,000-$25,000 per year health insurance benefits for you and your family? Or do you stay for the higher retirement pay?
The noble choice would be to think of one’s family and take the health insurance benefits for your family and leave now.
In these hard financial times, what choices have the civic-minded leaders of Culver City proposed.
Scott Malsin has decided that he wants both; he wants to stay to get a higher retirement and collect health insurance benefits.
I am sorry. I missed option “C,” All of the Above, as one of the choices.
The noble Mr. Malsin is only thinking of those few senior city workers in the Police Dept. as exceptions to this rule change.
Mr. Malsin has been around long enough to know that the PERS plan will only allow one health benefit plan for all Culver City employees. That would mean that Mr. Malsin would fall into the category of Senior City Worker. What a surprise.
Before you think the Management Group, and the Employees Assn. are the heroes in all of this, you have to remember this is the oldest of tricks.
I can’t count the number of times that the Fire Dept. Association settled contracts by giving up PERS retirement benefits in exchange for other benefits, knowing full well that the Council and the other employee associations never would approve it.
In the end, the PERS contract would stay the same, and the Fire Dept. would keep their PERS benefits and their new ones.
Mr. Smith may be contacted at www.scsinvest@sbcglobal.net
