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Tampa OKs Pay Raise For Firefighters

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

cwade@tampatrib.com

Published: March 6, 2009

TAMPA - Tampa's firefighters will receive a 2.5 percent cost-of-living raise this year as well as an additional 3.5 percent step plan increase for those who qualify.

The city council on Thursday approved a one-year contract with the union representing the city's firefighters. It includes the salary increases and no reduction in benefits.

For an entry-level firefighter making $35,000 a year and who qualifies for the step plan, the raises approved by the council would put another $2,100 a year into their paycheck.

City officials haven't said how much the increases will cost overall, but the contract would cover the department's roughly 570 rank-and-file firefighters.

Council members warned that the city might not be able to afford pay raises next year.

Asked why the council approved them this year, Council member John Dingfelder said he was following Mayor Pam Iorio's lead.

"If the mayor felt that this contract would bankrupt the city or force us to raise taxes, then I certainly wouldn't have voted for it," he said. "Next year, things will be very different."

Iorio recently capped cost-of-living increases at 2.5 percent for firefighters, police and other city workers. She said the city faces a possible $35 million shortfall next year.

The head of a statewide tax watchdog group said local governments need to be just as frugal as private businesses.

"This is one of the worst recessions in Florida's history," said Dominic M. Calabro, president of Florida TaxWatch, a Tallahassee-based watchdog group. "Government can't keep promising people wage increases that it doesn't have the money for."

The city also has reached a deal with the Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents about 2,000 blue-collar, technical and clerical workers, on a one-year contract that includes a 2.5 percent cost-of-living and 3 percent merit increases.

Members of that union are expected to vote on the proposed contract later this month.

This summer, the city begins negotiations with the police union on a new contract.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679

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