SOMETHING FOR NORTH PERTH TO THINK ABOUT

ANOTHER GOOD EDITORIAL
By John Kastner
Stratford Beacon Herald
UPSETS BY FIREFIGHTERS DECISION ? NO ONE CARES

One wonders if Stephen Raymond, the arbitrator that ruled in favour of the Stratford firefighters, had any idea what his decision would mean in dollars and cents (or sense ).
He probably could have guessed, and the informed source thought the total bill for one-time retroactive pay increases and one-time retroactive retention pay would come around $1.5.
The actual figure was $2.75 million and, according to city officials, there is no way Raymond would have known what the number was or even come close. It took the city's payroll department weeks to do the math.
So, we know he didn't know what the figure would be, so the better question might be : Did he care ? Given that he doesn't live here or pay taxes here and won't be impacted by his historic burden on the taxpayers, the answer is probably not.
And given that he will now be the darling of firefighters unions across the province who are looking for an easily swayed arbitrator the increased business will surely be welcomed.
Taxpayers in Stratford, whether they be residential, business or corporate, are not so lucky, as this decision will have a lasting impact on the community when it comes to services the city can provide and the sort of place we call home.
Just think of what the city could have done with $2.7 million.
And, keep in mind, this lottery-sized payout is just the thin edge of a wedge.
Dispatchers at the police station will ask for retention this year and, given the precedent at the fire department, they will get it. There is no sense in the city going to arbitration- been there, done that, just pay.
Also, the Major League Baseball-sized pay increases will take their tool forever, adding dozens of firefighters to the next Sunshine List and the next one ............and the next one.
The extra tax burden on the taxpayers who are already paying more property tax than people in neighbouring communities notwithstanding, the other ramifications are that many forward- thinking ideas in a forward -thinking city will now be shelved, probably forever.
So, when people come forward with an idea for bike trails or sky trails or splash pads or any other sundry initiatives, the sales job just got a lot tougher because there is a lot less money.
Cities pleaded with the province to change the arbitration process so that arbitrators would not use a wide brush for all communities. Cities wanted arbitrators to take into account the communities ability to pay and that the impact a decision has on a community be considered.
The reality is no one in a position fo influence cares what impact the multimillion dollar decision will have on Stratford. The arbitrator sure doesn't care, the province doesn't care enough to change the system, the people who negotiated on behalf of firefighters and went to the wall on the retention pay obviously don't care.
So the message from all of the above to cities and by extension, taxpayers is pretty clear-----you can't afford this Not my problem!
john.kastner@sunmedia.ca