The city’s plan to boost firefighters’ pay using revenue from a proposed quarter-cent sales tax is a step in the right direction, but firefighters would prefer that raises not depend on voters’ approval of a sales tax, said District Fire Chief Chris Carroll.

“We’re pleased the city has finally addressed the wage issue,” Carroll said. “We would like to have this regardless of whether the tax passes or not.”

City officials on Tuesday said they had completed a preliminary plan for uses of revenue from the tax, which will go before voters Oct. 24. It includes details on pay for new hires and current Fire Department employees.

The department’s starting salary is $26,732, plus $2,400 in supplemental pay from the city. If the tax is approved, the salaries would increase to $29,411, or $31,811 with the $2,400 supplement.

The revenue use proposal also incudes a 10 percent across-the-board raise for current employees.

International Association of Fire Fighters Local 561 has yet to publicly support the tax. Carroll said the union will decide in the coming weeks whether to support the tax after it has reviewed an analysis of the city’s financial status.

(American Press Archives)