Proposition B -

Summary

Shall the City Charter of the City of Houston be amended by adding a separate section that reads as follows: The City of Houston shall compensate City firefighters in a manner and amount that is at least equal and comparable by rank and seniority with the compensation provided City police officers including: a. Persons employed in the following firefighter classifications shall receive the same base pay as persons of like seniority employed in the following, similarly numbered police officer classifications: Firefighters - 1. Probationary firefighter, 2. Firefighter, 3. Engineer/Operator, 4. Captain, Inspector, Investigator, Communications Captain, Mechanic, 5. Senior Captain, Senior Inspector, Senior Investigator, Communications Senior Captain, Shop Supervisor, 6. District Chief, Assistant Arson Investigator, Chief Inspector, Chief Communications Officer, Master Mechanic, 7. Deputy Chief, Arson Investigator, Assistant Fire Marshal, Deputy Chief Communications Officer, 8. Assistant Fire Chief, Fire Marshal, 9. Executive Assistant Fire Chief Police Officers-1. Probationary Police Officer, 2. Police Officer, 3. Senior Police Officer, 4. Sergeant, 5. Lieutenant, 6. Captain, 7. Captain (with an additional 15% for parity), 8. Assistant Police Chief, 9. Executive Assistant Police Chief; a. In the event the title of any of the above classifications shall be changed, the new classification most similar in terms of qualifications and duties to the old shall be substituted therefore, to achieve pay parity; b. Firefighters employed in fire suppression shall receive the same incentive pay as police officers, of like seniority, employed as patrol officers; c. Firefighters shall receive the same training pay as police officers of like seniority; d. Firefighters employed as arson investigators shall receive the same investigative incentive pay as police officer investigative personnel of like seniority and investigative experience; e. Firefighters who serve as Field Training Officers shall receive the same Field Training Officer training pay as police officers who serve as Field Training Officers; f. Firefighters shall receive mentoring pay in the same amount and on the same basis as police officers; g. Firefighters classified as arson investigators, inspectors, communications captain, senior inspectors, senior investigators, communications senior captain, assistant arson investigator, chief inspector or chief communications officer shall receive the same weekend premium and shift differential pay in the same amount and on the same basis as police officers qualified to receive such pay; h. Firefighters shall receive educational incentive pay in the same amount and on the same basis as police officers entitled to receive such pay, i. Firefighters shall receive college tuition reimbursement in the same amount and on the same basis as police officers entitled to receive such reimbursement; j. Firefighters shall receive the same clothing allowance (or similar benefit) paid to police officers, in addition to any protective clothing and equipment provided by the City; k. Firefighters shall receive the same equipment allowance (or similar benefit) paid to police officers; l. The City shall make the same contribution to the Houston Professional Firefighters Association Medical Trust that it does to the Texas Police Trust; m. To the extent that the names of any of the forms of pay or benefits identified above are changed, the requirement of parity for firefighters to police officers shall continue to apply; In addition, if any new form of pay or benefit is provided to police officers, the same shall also be provided to firefighters?