Comments on: Antioch Council to deal with full agenda, employee contracts during final meeting with current members, Tuesday night

By: Frederick Rouse

Frederick Rouse — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 04:29:15 +0000

I gave this statement to the Council last night. Nothing we could do, but mark my words. I question if you really care about this City over your personal political wants. By paying labor agreements that lack actual funding is a knife in the back of Antioch before you are out the door.

I hope the labor unions that you have talked to fully understand how bankruptcy of a City can impact personal incomes. Tonight, Your putting Antioch in a position of almost certain bankruptcy. We already carry major unfunded debt on our books and now you add an additional burden for your successor’s to deal with. And that can only be seen as a political move.

I figure if you lay this groundwork tonight and hurt this City as I know you will, you then as the knights in Shining Amour, can ride back in during the next elections and pretend to save the day. Tonight you plan on taking advantage of a City that is already bruised, battered, underfunded and unsafe for what purpose? For the betterment of our City? Or for the appeasement of your political base and to grease the skids for your future election.

Hold off any vote and let the new council decide what is best in managing the budget as they will hold the responsibility and accountability to our City and its future.

By: Julio

Julio — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 20:46:21 +0000

In reply to XXX. With the new demand from CALpers to double the payments due them in February it will bankrupt the city. We are not even making the interest payments on what we owe them now. Anyone that reads the new contract given the employees in the city at last nights meeting will be shocked. It was political no matter how much they deny it and Merry Christmas to the recipients. The rest of us pinch our pennies.

By: XXX

XXX — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 19:39:32 +0000

In reply to Skip.

Oh it’s a great gig if you are one of the ones retiring at age 50 and moving on to a new career – you won’t hear them complaining. But, for you and me the lowly worker and taxpayer it’s a racket. This is just not the norm in America anywhere that you can collect a full salary pension and full medical benefits – it is unheard of and the Finance officer (city council) as well as the Human Resources manager should take a long look at this – it will bankrupt the city for sure. But, they are dipping in the same bucket so they won’t complain.

By: Skip

Skip — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 16:55:24 +0000

In reply to Eric A.. My complaint is that the APD police unit was handing out political endorsements at the same time they were negotiating the package. When the former chief of police lost his job, they then rush to ratify a new contract with the politicians who are on their way out. It has nothing to do with attracting more officers and everything to do with influencing how much they get paid by our taxes by handing out political favors. It's corrupt and the reason why the APD pay is sooooooo much higher than the median wage of its citizens or even other local departments. If they want to give me 10k every month plus pay me even after I retire, sign me up. The problem is that these pay packages don't go to the residents who struggle to get by, they go to officers who work outside of Antioch and to college educated people who already have plenty of opportunities in the private sector. If Antioch businesses can attract talent at $30k per year and you have to pay your own 401k, why do we need to pay $120k per year and lifetime pensions for the police? It's a good gig if you're in the club, if you're a taxpayer, you're getting hosed by corrupt back room deals.

By: Seemingly

Seemingly — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 06:48:16 +0000

Full salaries pensions coupled with full medical benefits is financially irresponsible and will bankrupt you in no time. Given a lot of these people retire at a younger age – implosion.

By: Eric A.

Eric A. — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 06:27:17 +0000

So.. Let me get this straight. You guys complain that we don’t have enough Police, and you’re also against contracts that would attract them? There are policy’s in place that forbid me from saying what I really feel like saying. Thank you.

By: Julio

Julio — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 04:59:28 +0000

This city will not straighten out unless we put wage freezes in effect and can find out how much this city is truly in trouble. They all lie to you so much we need an outside audit or intervention by the state. It is coming. Mr. Jordan’s suit is the tip of the iceberg.

Tonight was a very expensive city council meeting, VERY expensive and they should be ashamed of themselves.

By: Skip

Skip — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 03:38:53 +0000

Spoiler alert, everybody will still get a raise. If you negotiate a two year deal, then they’ll just get another raise then too. The council is in bed with the unions, the police union even endorsed these turkeys while negotiating this contract. It is corrupt to its core. Where is my pension, where are my six figures per year, how about health care? Why provide these things to city employees when the rest of Antioch doesn’t get these guarantees. People will work for so much less, but the city unions are earning way above what they should. While the city is starving our leaders get fat by taxing and fining it’s citizens. The next time you get a parking ticket in a city that doesn’t have a parking problem, just remember that you’re helping to send someone else’s kid to college while your kids skip out.

By: Publisher

Publisher — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 03:24:15 +0000

In reply to Karl dietzel. Hey, now you're stepping on my toes, Karl! LOL Allen Payton, Publisher

By: Karl dietzel

Karl dietzel — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 00:49:19 +0000

Irresponsible financial decision .

Instead of street name changes, I suggest to rename the
City of antioch to

City of Bell II

By: Marty Fernandez

Marty Fernandez — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 22:44:21 +0000

I agree 100% Allen. Items 12-21 on the agenda disregard the future poor financial conditions of this City. This has been a habit of this council and the city manager. Mr. Thorpe is correct, his four years on the council are going to be very difficult and he will have to deal with the expiration of Measure C. Measure C will not pass again. Five year contracts with labor unions are difficult at best and with the future uncertainty we should not have more than a 2 or 3 year contract. Did we not learn anything with the last 5 year police contract? We need true labor contract negotiators working for the citizens as this city has turned in to Bell, California. Employees and council members should not be members of the negotiating team. This whole thing looks like a parting shot to the citizens by Mr. Harper and Mr. Duran with a Merry Christmas to staff.
So completely wrong.