The Huntington Beach City Council voted on Tuesday to approve an 18% raise for the city's police union, a decision made despite ongoing concerns about projected multi-million dollar annual budget deficits facing the city over the next ten years. The measure passed with a narrow 4-3 vote.
City financial projections have been a frequent topic of discussion, with city staff and several council members highlighting the impending deficits. During the Tuesday council meeting, Councilman Andrew Gruel questioned newly appointed Chief Financial Officer Zack Zithisakthanakul about the city's financial health, likening it to a hospital emergency room scenario. Gruel asked if the city was in a state requiring "rushing us into surgery?" Zithisakthanakul responded, indicating that while the city was not in "immediate fiscal distress," its finances would require continuous monitoring, suggesting a need for ongoing care rather than urgent intervention.
Proponents of the raise emphasized the importance of public safety and fair compensation. Councilman Chad Williams, a vocal advocate, described attempts to delay or stop the raise as "procedural sabotage." Williams argued that it was inappropriate to place the burden of the city's broader budget challenges solely on the police department. Councilwoman Gracey Van Der Mark also supported the increase, stating that despite the city's financial difficulties, she felt a necessity to prioritize public safety, emphasizing, "I need to put public safety first."
However, several council members voiced strong opposition to the raise, citing fiscal responsibility. Mayor Casey McKeon, who voted against the measure, expressed concern that the salary increase would "increase the velocity of our deficit" and deemed it unsustainable. Councilman Don Kennedy concurred, questioning the city's claims of financial stability and noting that the contract would only accelerate existing budgetary problems. Kennedy stated he could not support the contract dueating the city's financial challenges. Councilman Pat Burns, a former Long Beach police officer, also voted no, pointing out that the police union had received a substantial raise four years prior with limited discernible impact on recruitment. Burns questioned the long-term effectiveness of such increases, asking, "When does it stop?"
The approval of the police union contract precedes decisions on other city employee groups. City leaders have yet to finalize agreements with the firefighters union and several other bargaining units, whose negotiations are still underway.
