Sister City of Modesto has budget problems.

Firefighters continue to lead the way as list doubles in one year

Modesto Bee Feb 28 By ADAM ASHTON

Firefighters and top managers received the best salary increases in Modesto City Hall last year, cementing their presence among the city's 100 highest-paid employees. At least 100 city employees earned $110,000 or more last year in total income, up from 49 in 2006, according to information The Bee obtained through a California Public Records Act request. Fifty-eight of the 100 best-paid employees work in the Fire Department, up from 49 in 2006. Nine of them were department chiefs who don't get overtime but can earn certain stipends, increases for advanced degrees and uniform allowances. The number of police officers among the top 100 earners declined, from 28 to 19 in 2007. One was Chief Roy Wasden; four of them were captains who can't collect overtime. Top executives, engineers and attorneys saw a boost in their pay. The council gave them a 5.5 percent salary increase in July. The city instituted a hiring freeze a month later because of a sharp downturn in its revenue. Some employees had special contracts. Retired City Manager George Britton, for example, received a $2,000 monthly pay increase when the council extended his working agreement by six months in June. He earned $176,547 in 2007, up from $166,332 in total compensation a year earlier.

Two factors drove up the firefighter wages: a 6 percent across-the-board pay hike in December 2006 and increased overtime hours that resulted from the hiring freeze, Fire Chief Jim Miguel explained. One fire engineer, which is a rank above a firefighter but below a captain, earned $135,325 in 2007 -- $61,851 more than the maximum regular wage for that position. A fire captain earned $147,739 -- $62,531 more than that job's top base salary, largely because of overtime. The City Council passed the firefighter pay increase months before a drop in tax revenue ravaged Modesto's budget plans, forcing the city to cut $14 million in spending two months ago. If approved, the contract would raise firefighter wages by 22.5 percent overall between 2007 and 2010 and bring Modesto's pay up to par with 11 compar-able cities. The worsening financial outlook forced Miguel to cancel a recruiting class of eight firefighters who would have joined the department. Instead, he used overtime to make up for eight vacancies. The Fire Department's overtime spending is on the rise, from $1.1 million in 2004-05 budget year to a projected $1.7 million this year. Miguel said that money the department saves by not filling positions offsets the overtime, making the hiring freeze worthwhile in checking the city's expenses.