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Orange County Line

Costa Mesa Mayor vs. City Workers, Part 30

Gustavo Arellano on the latest skirmish between Costa Mesa's mayor and its public employees

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By Gustavo Arellano • Aug 12, 2013 • 4m Listen

Last week, the City of Costa Mesa revealed a proposal to cut the salaries of most of its employees by five percent, make them contribute five percent more toward their pensions, and suggested a further five-percent cut to upper-level workers. Union representatives called the offer "offensive," but mayor Jim Righeimer — who has been trying to diminish the power of public-employee unions for more than a decade and tried to force the layoffs of many Costa Mesa workers a couple of years ago — insists it makes fiscal sense. Who to believe?

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Gustavo Arellano

    columnist, LA Times

    CultureNewsOrange County
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