A local councilman called on the San Diego Fire Department to cut $5.4 million from the personnel budget that is allocated to pay EMT-certified firefighters an 8.5% bonus. Carl DeMaio argued that since all firefighters must be EMT-certified, they shouldn’t get paid a bonus for a basic job qualification. But Chief Javier Mainar says the money actually is part of firefighters’ base salary even though the city allocates it differently. He said the councilman is against a proposed half-cent city sales tax to pay for fire services that is on the ballot for Nov. 2, and wanted to characterize the funding as wasteful spending on the part of the fire department in order to prove his point.

“He mischaracterized it,” Mainar said. “In most cities when they became EMTs, [the salary allocation] was incorporated into the base salary. Our city chose not to do that.”

The city decided to make the 8.5% bonus a separate budget line instead of adding it into each firefighter’s annual salary, which ranges from $39,300 to $63,600.

“The city has always kept that as a special pay separate from their base salary — and never incorporated it into the salaries,” he said. “So you’ll have a base salary and also located within our budget is a special 8.5% to reflect their EMT responsibilities.”

Mainar admitted he was miffed by the councilman’s accusation, noting that San Diego firefighters’ total annual salary falls below the county average. In fact, the department falls in the lower 30% compensation rate compared to similar-sized departments throughout the county and so the comments were a “slap in the face,” he said.

“I was upset about the mischaracterization of the fire department, and that firefighters would accept any bonus when we are browning out eight engines,” Mainar said. “I felt like it was a slap in the face to me and the other firefighters because we would never condone something like that.”

In addition, Mainer said the councilman is putting the public at risk. By misinforming them, the sales tax may not pass — resulting in additional brownouts. He’s already outlined $7 million in cuts the department may have to make if voters reject the proposed sales tax increase on the ballot this November.

“It is important that all of us in a position of trust and leadership in the community are reliable with the information we provide to the public,” he said. “The public has a right to know about our budget and how we spend every nickel. But we have an obligation to do so honestly and not mislead to make a political point. Fire chiefs certainly should stand up to that and make sure the public has a correct record to look at when they are making decisions.”