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Jim Righeimer, Costa Mesa City mayor, on why he was falsely accused of drunk driving due to his comments on unions.
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I think now that's a formal police officer -- Costa Mesa, California is accused of placing a phony non -- Juan Cole.
He accused of acting -- -- a rate -- up a driving drunk.
This happened just after -- -- -- criticized the police union police came to the mass house gave him a sobriety test he passed.
Joining us now is.
-- -- -- -- -- -- I think that's correct form -- address you're -- welcome to the program I think I got the story writes.
Looks to me like things atoning really nasty in your town.
Yeah a lot of stories a little bit off on there'd be up the person -- with a private investigator was fired from the Riverside police department.
-- was hired by -- firm.
Lackey Dan Meyer and Miguel and that's the connection to all this shaking down of local officials.
A law firm hires a private investigators to file -- around.
If you didn't get something and I -- what they're obviously looking for is to get you to vote against the best interest that your city on their contract to protect yourself from embarrassment or maybe something worse.
What it amounts to harassment basically doesn't because -- you had a beef with the police union of a money in New York City annual town.
And suddenly you're accused totally falsely of drunk driving on and there is a connection between the two that's real nasty politics.
Well yeah absolutely I mean what we're doing right now is we need to be hiring some new officers we have a good budget to hire officers we have over a thousand applications for officers.
But we're saying that the new officers coming and can't come in at the 90% of pay at fifty years of H plan anymore.
We're saying to go to an 81% of their pay.
At 55 understand the average officers compensation.
In southern cal well on our city in most cities -- about a 175000.
Dollars a year.
A 130000 that is compensation.
And and health benefits and those things and 42000 what would put their pension every year hold on -- -- I greatest amount yet yet -- I mean I just wanna lay that on sick to our audience you're telling me that the average pay for a police -- It in many parts of Southern California -- -- included is a 175000.
Dollars a yeah.
And not present -- rentals compensation totaled just total total -- and that person can retire what did you say 52.
Fifteen year it -- fifty years of age at 90% of pet so they get -- going -- -- -- -- -- here.
For F correct of a 175000.
-- -- very roughly that's a hardens 15160000.
Bucks for F off.
And -- they wouldn't get a good.
The pension portion of 42000 we've in the pension they don't get paid on.
But the 130000 minus the health care you would take 90% of that number and that that number goes up 2% per year they get an increase every year of 2% on on that pension number all that what happens now you've been falsely accused of drunk driving -- plated name we hope what's now what happens next.
What blown up real big what's happened is I've gotten calls from all over Southern California -- these other cities -- council people and in city managers who have being just.
You know shaking down the intimidation unbelievable this firm that that is the connection between in fact this firm.
Represents the police and Bell, California also represents a 120 police officers association.
And outside of their tactics they had -- got to play but he does go after council people and do whatever was.
But I won the final things on their underplayed but to tell you what to do as a police officer.
Our union represented to go ahead and and get what you want focus on individual avoid spreading your energy.
Focus on -- city manager council person mayor or police chief and keep the pressure on up until that person assures his loyalty and then move on to the next victim.
That's what their play -- that it was on the web.
It went kinda registered -- a big story on it and I'm getting calls all over Southern California where this law firm has basically.
Intimidated to get their contracts pass through all of seven California.
The things that they do like with the pay how -- -- 230000 we call the base pay.
70000 or 75 and they needed uniform pay our officers get paid to one half percent to put on their uniform.
And then -- yet you know if you work with the -- you get so much over time is right motorcycling get 5% paper that no we give you so many hours of overtime keep the -- clean.
It's another 101000 dollars a year mean the numbers just add up and they play games -- hide it.
And and there's no transparency in the numbers are council has now gotten on our website ignored the Costa -- City Council web -- Click on transparency and see the -- of every employee in the city by every category are highest paid employee.
Is a fire battalion chief 347000.
Dollars last year.
You don't look Babs is an Ohio.
-- all of us all across the country and we very much thank you for bringing it to our attention -- recon and you want a matter of Costa Mesa, California can come back you know any day you life thank you so we should expect.
