Bingham County Commissioners need your support now
Posted by on Monday, April 5, 2010
Under: Action
The dispute between the Bingham County Commissioners and the Blackfoot Fire Department has been going on for several months now. The City Fire Department provides ambulance service county-wide under a contract with the County. At issue is who is financially responsible when the Fire Department goes over budget. For several years the city and the county split the red ink. This year, the County said they would no longer pay for the City Fire Department’s inability to operate within a budget.
Believing they can intimidate the County into agreeing to a blank check, the City has posted their intent to lay-off over half of their fire department unless the County concedes to their demands. Joining the city in demanding more money is obviously the firefighters union who is orchestrating a disinformation campaign attempting to scare the public with claims that people will be dying in the streets and homeowners insurance will skyrocket – both of which are ridiculous.
While the Commissioners are trying to be fiscally responsible, Fire Chief Kevin Grey and the City have doubled-down saying they will be forced to lay off over half their department unless they get more money. This is an obvious attempt to sway public opinion and has no financial basis. Grey has said that this whole issue could be resolved if the Commissioners would just give them another $44,000 a year. They have offered no explanation as to how if they get another $44,000 they’ll be fine, and without it, they have to lay off half their department. Just to be clear, they are not arguing over the budget being cut, they want MORE.
Please contact the Commissioners and tell them you support their standing up for the taxpayers and not caving in to the out of control Fire Department and firefighters union.
Believing they can intimidate the County into agreeing to a blank check, the City has posted their intent to lay-off over half of their fire department unless the County concedes to their demands. Joining the city in demanding more money is obviously the firefighters union who is orchestrating a disinformation campaign attempting to scare the public with claims that people will be dying in the streets and homeowners insurance will skyrocket – both of which are ridiculous.
While the Commissioners are trying to be fiscally responsible, Fire Chief Kevin Grey and the City have doubled-down saying they will be forced to lay off over half their department unless they get more money. This is an obvious attempt to sway public opinion and has no financial basis. Grey has said that this whole issue could be resolved if the Commissioners would just give them another $44,000 a year. They have offered no explanation as to how if they get another $44,000 they’ll be fine, and without it, they have to lay off half their department. Just to be clear, they are not arguing over the budget being cut, they want MORE.
Please contact the Commissioners and tell them you support their standing up for the taxpayers and not caving in to the out of control Fire Department and firefighters union.
In : Action
