Union blasts Aguirre for pay raises

By: Wire Reports - | Monday, December 19, 2005 9:18 PM PST ∞

Officials with San Diego's largest labor union chided City Attorney Michael Aguirre today for approving $388,000 in office pay raises amid the city's uncertain fiscal future.

The San Diego Municipal Employees Association released a list of 24 employees in the City Attorney's Office, mostly deputy city attorneys, who have received pay raises since Aguirre took office a year ago.

"Our members, including the hard-working employees who sustain the lawyers in the City Attorney's Office, are outraged by the size of the lawyer pay raises while other employees have accepted a pay freeze even while their workload is being doubled or tripled," MEA President Judie Italiano said.

Aguirre defended the raises, saying the increases were the result of promotions and the money was included in the budget.

"Everything we have done was totally within the budget," he said at an afternoon news conference. "What I did is people who were serving in one capacity were moved into higher positions."

The top two pay raises went to Assistant City Attorney Karen Heumann and Executive Assistant City Attorney Don McGrath, according to MEA.

The union said Heumann's salary increased from $56,202 annually to $109,616 and McGrath's pay went from $109,616 a year to $174,408.

Aguirre said their salaries are commensurate with the positions they have been asked to perform in the City Attorney's Office.

Heumann now represents the office during City Council meetings, while McGrath is the second ranking attorney in the City Attorney's Office and is leading the investigation into San Diego's debt-ridden pension.

"If someone takes on more responsibility then they are entitled to be compensated to that level," Aguirre said.

The unions have been at odds with Aguirre, who is working to eliminate certain pension benefits he says were granted illegally and contributed to the city's pension shortfall, which is now about $1.4 billion.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.