In 2012, Ed Suslovic was on the Portland City Council and commissioned a consulting firm to analyze fire department staffing in a 523-page study, for $39,000. The study recommended hiring to reduce overtime costs.
Mr. Suslovic released hand-picked data undermining the study’s findings. He argued that staffing should be reduced, based on doing a per capita comparison. A per capita comparison is not one of the 28 criteria that the subjective study used in its analysis.
During a debate on Sept. 18, Mr. Suslovic was asked about cutting the budget. He responded, “Why is our staffing level in some departments five times the level of every other city in New England of a comparable size?”
Mr. Suslovic acknowledges he has “ruffled some feathers” but in spite of that, continues to indicate that the fire department is overstaffed.
The $39,000 study was ignored. “Ed 2.0” sounds just like the original.
Chris Thomson
Local 740, Portland Professional Firefighters
Portland
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