Newsom’s Exploding Police BudgetPaul Hogarthbyline‚ Jun. 25‚ 2009Since becoming Mayor in January 2004, Gavin Newsom has taken a Police budget that was $295 million to $433 million – due to imprudent fiscal decisions. For probably the first time ever, Newsom’s proposed budget this year would put more General Fund money in the Police Department than Public Health. But that’s not just because he’s running for Governor. Newsom’s budget may have no police layoffs (which sells well in Southern California), but a union contract that he signed with the Police Officers Association in 2007 for his re-election is the bigger culprit for the increase. Even a union “give back” he negotiated with the POA to save $10 million this year just defers liabilities for the future, helping some of the best paid cops in the nation. The voters passed a Charter Amendment in 2004 that called for “civilianizing” police jobs, but the Department still has about 500 police officers pushing papers – while the Police Chief says we are at minimum staffing levels of “full duty officers” required under the City Charter. The Mayor’s budget also funds two new Deputy Police Chiefs at $258,000 each – added this year while he made mid-year cuts elsewhere. |