TEXARKANA -- The police association that represents officers who work for the Police Department in Texarkana wants its position to be heard regarding a pending arbitration hearing in a dispute about pay parity with police in Texarkana, Texas.
A open letter dated Monday, signed by Texarkana Police Association President Catalina Segura and Vice President Tanner Freeman, states "our voice matters and should be considered in any settlement" of a lawsuit filed by Arkansas side of the border residents.
At issue is the fate of a pair of quarter-cent sales taxes approved by voters more than 20 years ago to fund keeping Arkansas-side police and firefighter pay at parity with that in Texarkana, Texas. Pay parity has been a continual issue since, with residents and employees saying the tax revenue has been mismanaged, and city officials saying the revenue is insufficient.
In December 2017, a group of Texarkana residents filed suit against city officials to force Police Department pay parity.
The city has argued that the parity taxes are against the state constitution because they effectively let another entity -- Texarkana, Texas -- set the Arkansas side's pay policy. Pressing the lawsuit in court could result in elimination of the taxes, leaving the city with a revenue shortfall of millions of dollars a year, officials say.
The Arkansas association's letter makes clear that the group considers that outcome unacceptable.
"TAPA members do not wish to jeopardize the sales tax collection currently in place due to obvious financial strain it would place on the city. Additionally, the TAPA would like to stress to everyone concerned that a reduction in police force not only would place our officers at a greater risk of physical harm but would jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of our citizens," the letter states.
"Any loss of tax revenue specified for the payment of police salaries would create an undue hardship to not only the city but to the Police Department as well. The reduction of staffing is something that must be avoided at all costs," according to the letter.
The letter acknowledges that because of a pay raise plan passed by the city Board of Directors in September 2019, the Police Department will achieve pay parity with its Texas counterpart by the beginning of the year. It also recognizes that economic differences between the two cities make achieving pay parity between the two departments impossible at times.
"The issue of police pay parity in Texarkana, Arkansas is now 25 years old," the letter states. "As of January 1, 2021, we will have once again achieved parity with officers of a nearby comparable agency. Members of the TAPA acknowledge there are fundamental differences in revenue generated by the two cities, and that there are times that it is not financially feasible for our city to match salaries contemporaneous with others. Members of the association agree that officials of The City of Texarkana, Arkansas must have an ordinance in place that gives direction and outlines when a salary increase, or COLA (cost of living allowance) increase will be given to its law enforcement officers."
According to the 2019 plan, any year the parity taxes generate enough revenue to fund competitive pay -- which is not defined -- and Texarkana's police and fire departments are not competitive with others within a 50-mile radius, competitive compensation will be paid.
Any year when the taxes are insufficient to fund competitive pay and the general fund reserve is less than 62 days of expenditures, police and firefighters will not get raises. If the tax is not enough, but the reserve is more than 62 days, they will get raises to competitive pay or 2.5%, whichever is less.
City Manager Kenny Haskin declined to comment Tuesday because of the ongoing lawsuit.
In summary, the Texarkana police association's letter states, "although we believe that incremental salary increases are necessary to maintain professional law enforcement services to the citizens of Texarkana, we do not believe it should come at a cost of reduced staffing and placing the city in a financial hardship. We are understanding of the years of zero financial growth the city has suffered, and in some years a shrinking budget. We understand that under these circumstances it makes it difficult to maintain 'pay parity'. Officers of the TAPA are hopeful that a common ground can be found with both parties for an agreeable resolution that does not jeopardize the collection of the tax and our city that we hold dear."