PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE SERVICES

1. PALM BEACH COUNTYFIRE RESCUE SERVICES

2. OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRE RESCUE – THEY PREPARE FOR THE WORST WHILE BEING THE BEST! • LATEST EQUIPMENT • SHORT RESPONSE TIMES • WELL-TRAINED • WELL-PAID WITH EXCELLENT BENEFITS

3. PALM BEACH COUNTY,FLORIDA - 2006 “ GOVERNMENT SPENDING MUST BE CUT….” “REAL ESTATE TAXES WILL DROP LIKE A ROCK….” GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST PBCC, LAKE WORTH

4. PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA - 2010 • RECORD-HIGH GOVERNMENT SPENDING • COUNTY COMMISSION RAISED TAX MILLAGE – IN THE MIDST OF THE WORST RECESSION IN 80 YEARS! • RECORD-HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT • JOB LOSSES CONTINUING

5. PALM BEACH COUNTY – 2010: • TRILLIONS LOST IN INVESTMENTS OVER THE PAST 24 MONTHS • INVESTMENT INTEREST INCOME AT HISTORIC LOWS • BUSINESSES – AND RETIREES ON FIXED INCOMES – ARE STRUGGLING

6. SO WE JUST NEED TO ASK…. IS THIS THE TIME TO RAISE TAXES?

7. SERVICE VS EXPENSE ANALYSISPBC FIRE RESCUE INFORMATION FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY BUDGET DOCUMENTS 2006 BASE YEAR COMPARED WITH 2010 – CALLS FOR SERVICES INCREASED 25% OVER THIS PERIOD WHILE EXPENSES FOR FIRE-RESCUE SERVICES INCREASED BY 68% APPROXIMATELY 83% OF CALL ARE FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES; APPROXIMATELY 17% OF CALLS ARE FOR FIRE

8. OUR FIRE RESCUE WORKERS ARE WELL-PAID & BENEFITTED!

9. PBC FIRE RESCUE WORKERS ARE EXTREMELY WELL-PAID • Average Fire-Rescue Pay: $140,000 • Average pay for PBC Residents: $45,000

10. REASONS TO OPPOSE HIGHER COUNTY TAXATION: • BAD FOR BUSINESS Economic recovery now is harder than from the Great Depression Higher County taxes make it more difficult for businesses to be profitable and successful here – may cause local employees to lose more jobs Creates a competitive-disadvantage with other counties and states in the ability to attract new industry and businesses

11. OTHER REASONS TO OPPOSE HIGHER TAXATION: • BAD FOR RESIDENTS *HIGH PROPERTY TAXATION MAKES OWNING HOMES UNAFFORDABLE * HIGH PROPERTY TAXATION CONTRIBUTES TO MIGRATION FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY * ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY * TEACHERS * MEDICAL SUPPORT PERSONNEL

12. WHAT CAN BE DONE? • TAB WILL BE: * REVIEWING FIRE RESCUE CONTRACTS AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS THEN RECOMMENDING COST-SAVING IDEAS; * STUDYING COMPARABLE FIRE-RESCUE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY FOR BENCHMARKS AND MORE FISCALLY-RESPONSIBLE OPERATIONS

13. TAB WILL BE (CONT’D) • CONTINUING TO RECOMMEND TO THE COUNTY THAT NEW HIRE BENEFIT PACKAGES BE ADJUSTED TO MORE REALISTIC AND SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS • CONTINUING TO RECOMMEND COST-SAVING OPERATIONS TO THE COUNTY, SUCH AS: * COMBINING FLEET SERVICE OPERATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS; * COMBINING PURCHASING AND CONTRACT SERVICES WITH OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO ACHIEVE COST-SAVINGS

14. TAB WILL BE (CONT’D) * URGING THE COUNTY TO SECURE PROPOSALS FOR PRIVATIZATION OF FIRE/RESCUE SERVICES IN OUTLYING AREAS; * URGING THE COUNTY TO ELIMINATE “KELLY DAYS” AND OTHER SCHEDULING POLICIES SO THAT OPERATIONS ARE MORE IN LINE WITH FLSA NATIONWIDE STANDARDS; * REVIEWING AND RECOMMENDING ELIMINATION OF CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT DEFINITELY AND IMMEDIATELY NECESSARY;

15. TAB WILL BE (CONT’D) * URGING THE COUNTY TO ELIMINATE COSTLY POLICIES CONCERNING “LOBBYING” BY PAID STAFF WHILE ON DUTY; * URGING THE COUNTY TO HIRE RETURNING VETERANS FOR AVAILABLE POSITIONS WHEREVER POSSIBLE SINCE THEY ARE ALREADY WELL-TRAINED AND CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF VETERAN BENEFITS, THEREBY REDUCING “LEGACY” AND OTHER EMPLOYEE COSTS FOR THE COUNTY.