The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Minnesota Chiefs, Firefighters Battle Governor Over Fund Cuts
AUSTIN, Minn. - Minnesota's fire chiefs and leaders of firefighter unions from around the state have teamed in opposition to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposal to cut $10 million from a fund for training firefighters in order to help pay down the state's budget deficit.
The Austin Daily Herald reports that the Minnesota Professional Firefighters union and the State Fire Chiefs Association are united in opposition. Firefighters affiliated with both outfits said the training money is needed to help budget-strapped fire departments in other cities train their firefighters.
"Two years ago, we had a training coordinator, an actual position for training," said Austin firefighter Chris Grunewald, the head of the local firefighters' union. "Since then, that position has been eliminated. Now, we just have our senior guy do it, whether he's qualified or not. And it's hurt us."
Some Austin firefighters have started taking on their own training, mainly through books and online sources, Grunewald said. Adding to the burden, a recently passed state law will require all firefighters hired after July 1, 2011, to have a license.
In Austin, two of nine full-time firefighters have such a license _ and Grunewald said he's worried budgets will continue to be so tight that firefighters will have to pay for their own licenses as well.
"I don't know how those individuals would get trained," he said.
Under Pawlenty's proposal, $3 million would be shifted out of the training fund's current $4 million surplus with the rest a transfer from its fund balance. The $10 million would be applied to offsetting the state's nearly $1 billion budget deficit, part of a much larger package of cuts that Pawlenty has asked state lawmakers to consider.
The fund is fueled by a 0.65 percent surcharge paid by homeowners, in place only since 2006, when Pawlenty signed it into law.
"The man who signed the bill into law and said it is good policy is now taking the money," Zikmund said.
Pawlenty's spokesman, Brian McClung, said the governor knows such cuts are difficult for recipients but said the proposal to trim fire safety funding is less severe than other possibilities.
"In this case we are proposing to transfer special funds from a special revenue account to help balance the budget," McClung told the newspaper. "While in many other cases, programs would receive direct cuts."
___
Information from: Austin Daily Herald, http://www.austindailyherald.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Austin Daily Herald reports that the Minnesota Professional Firefighters union and the State Fire Chiefs Association are united in opposition. Firefighters affiliated with both outfits said the training money is needed to help budget-strapped fire departments in other cities train their firefighters.
"Two years ago, we had a training coordinator, an actual position for training," said Austin firefighter Chris Grunewald, the head of the local firefighters' union. "Since then, that position has been eliminated. Now, we just have our senior guy do it, whether he's qualified or not. And it's hurt us."
Some Austin firefighters have started taking on their own training, mainly through books and online sources, Grunewald said. Adding to the burden, a recently passed state law will require all firefighters hired after July 1, 2011, to have a license.
In Austin, two of nine full-time firefighters have such a license _ and Grunewald said he's worried budgets will continue to be so tight that firefighters will have to pay for their own licenses as well.
"I don't know how those individuals would get trained," he said.
Under Pawlenty's proposal, $3 million would be shifted out of the training fund's current $4 million surplus with the rest a transfer from its fund balance. The $10 million would be applied to offsetting the state's nearly $1 billion budget deficit, part of a much larger package of cuts that Pawlenty has asked state lawmakers to consider.
The fund is fueled by a 0.65 percent surcharge paid by homeowners, in place only since 2006, when Pawlenty signed it into law.
"The man who signed the bill into law and said it is good policy is now taking the money," Zikmund said.
Pawlenty's spokesman, Brian McClung, said the governor knows such cuts are difficult for recipients but said the proposal to trim fire safety funding is less severe than other possibilities.
"In this case we are proposing to transfer special funds from a special revenue account to help balance the budget," McClung told the newspaper. "While in many other cases, programs would receive direct cuts."
___
Information from: Austin Daily Herald, http://www.austindailyherald.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Oldman on
-
Why the $4 million surplus?
This makes it appear that the money is not being used for it's intended purpose as it is now. Realizing that in today's times, $4m might not go a long way, but it ain't "chump change" either.
The saying we always use to justify training; "If you don't use it, you loose it", also holds true for funding. IF there is a surplus, then you are not using it.
-
Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
-
The fund is fueled by a 0.65 percent surcharge paid by homeowners, in place only since 2006, when Pawlenty signed it into law.
So what gets me, moreso than a surplus within the fund, is that the fund was established by this same governor and geared for firefighter training, yet, now the governor wants to use the money to pay down state debt. So my question is, what else has cause the state debt, shouldn't those programs that don't have their own fund then be examined more closer?
As for the $4 million surplus, what are the rules regarding the access and availability of these funds? Are there so many hoops established that it is difficult to acquire? Are funds available for any type of training a dept wants to do?
Yes, this does show the importance of "use it or lose it" but then the question can go to fiscal responsibility. The fund was established 4 years ago basically and it is still early in 2010 and I'm sure the money is still being taken from the taxpayer, so it still comes in. The other question with this is this fund just for "training" and not equipment? I mean there can be some things to train on, but a dept can't afford, such as ice rescue equipment, or the like.
It just really boils down to another example of robbing Peter to pay Paul.
-
Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
-
First; whoever introduced the bill to assess .65 to homeowners should have stipulated that the money could not be "swept"; that is, taken and used for another purpose. As with many laws, we get so giddy at getting ANYTHING that we don't tie up all of the loose ends. I know of a couple of bills here in IL that we had to go back and strengthen. I know that there has to be a starting point, but when people accept more tax burden and on the ballot, it says "Fire Prevention Fund", then there is the expectation that the increase will be for fire prevention programs.
Plus, as ODee said; how can there be a surplus? You spend it down every year. Why would you keep money back? What emergency would there be in the training budget that you would feel a need to hold money back? That apple was ripe for the picking. I can only speculate why there was that much surplus in the training fund, but I won't. However; that the money wasn't used tells me that the training program needs to be reviewed.
-
Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
-
Apparently this "Politician" has had intimate moments with the Arizona Governor. Rediculus! Better to be able to cut the budget by cutting the Politicians wages. Hummm? there's a concep.
-
Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on
-
This issue is popping up all over the US. There has to be anouther way to bail out of debt
-
Permalink Reply by Curt Varone on
-
Well I know for a fact they can't cut funding for firefighter training in Rhode Island - because the state hasn't funded firefighter training in 10 years! What an embarresment - but the good news to those in Minnesota - you gotta have something in order for them to cut it!!!
www.firelawblog.com
http://firelaw.typepad.com/fire-law/
-
Permalink Reply by Shaun Hansen on
-
I am from Minnesota, I know that state has a Fire Training Reimbursment Grant. I believe this is the money that is in this "Training Fund". I am from small department in SE Minnesota. We have 27 member on our roster and can have a max of 30. Without funding like this from the state it would be very difficult to financially obtain specific training for our firefighters. The main one is NFPA 1001 FireFighter 1 and FireFighter 2. I have personally applied for these reimbursments before. It is accually pretty simple. We first have to pay for the training out of our funding anyways. But we know we will get at least some back. We then have to show proof of the training and to who taught the class, when, and what NFPA standard was being fullfilled by the training. As for where the money initially came from at the state level, I could not tell you. As for the 4 million surplus, many departments are unaware of this "Fund" we just became awair of it by accident 2 years ago. So I feel that is why the surplus. If more smaller departments and larger ones knew about this fund then it would be utilized more often. I feel that the governor is making an awful mistake by abolishing this. Many department such as mine us this as kind of a life line to provide the best training to our members. There has to be other areas in the state that can take the hit better then the fire service. Also the Emergency Medical Servies board in Minnesota has money available for reimburment for EMT, First Responder training and CPR-AED. I am curious if the money comes from the same fund or a different one. But I would like to see the governor reverse his decision.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
