TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

How bad are the city's finances, really?

That's something Bakersfield fire and police unions wonder as budget season looms, contract negotiations crawl and jobs hang in the balance.

They even hired an accounting firm, a roughly $12,000 endeavor, to get a clear picture of what's up with Bakersfield's pocketbook.

"We spent the money because we believe city finances are being misrepresented," said Derek Tisinger, a veteran city firefighter and president of the union.

City Manager Alan Tandy says the fiscal drama is real.

"We're not overstating it," Tandy said of tightening purse strings amid declining sales and property tax revenues. "I'm concerned that we're understating it."

The city has said $3 million in additional cuts are needed to balance the budget in the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1. The city's operating budget for the current year is about $391 million.

The analysis by San Francisco-based Bachecki, Crom & Co. LLP looked at seven years worth of annual financial reports published by the city. There were no bombshells in the report, but it helped the unions understand financial trends in the city's complicated financial statements.

The 55-page result, finished in early April, explains the accounting firm's opinions about city funds and accounting, though doesn't say how much Bakersfield could or should spend for police and fire services.

City finances are healthy overall, the analysis found, but declining tax revenues could weaken its position.

The union understands cash flow is a problem in the down economy, Tisinger said, but the report shows city reserves are in good shape.

At the heart of negotiations are staffing levels, which unions say are already below target rates, and costly retirement benefits, which have become politicized in recent council races.

In addition to the financial analysis, the unions are taking messages directly to the public.

The Bakersfield Police Officers Association has recently run radio and print ads about its fight with the city manager.

Negotiations with police, whose contracts expired in July 2007, are at an impasse. Bill Ware, union president, could not be reached for comment.

Firefighters are still negotiating, and Tisinger sounded almost hopeful late Wednesday afternoon. Their contracts expired about a year ago.

The fire union has prepared a flyer detailing comparative staffing levels, pay and other issues. The flyers have been given to city councilmembers, Tisinger said, and could be mass-distributed to the public if needed.

Next Wednesday, city staffers will unveil their proposed budget to the city council.

Some layoffs are likely in the next fiscal year, but Tandy wouldn't say how many job cuts will be recommended or which positions might be slashed.