For Workers in Military
Want Feds to Cover Replacement Costs

By REUVEN BLAU

U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner and City Councilman Michael McMahon Feb. 27 called on the Bush administration to reimburse the city the $57 million it has paid to workers filling in for first-responders serving overseas.

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"It's an outrage that New York City tax dollars are rebuilding Baghdad while the Big Apple's security funds get cut to the core," Mr. Weiner said during a press conference on the steps of City Hall. "Keeping New York City safe is a round-the-clock effort, and we need every dollar we can get."

Will Press Defense Dept.

Mr. Weiner released a report detailing the city's costs, and announced his plan to introduce Federal legislation requiring the Department of Defense to compensate state and local municipalities for those expenses.

Earlier that day, Mayor Bloomberg welcomed the proposed bill. "[They] have said for a long time that the problem was that they didn't have the power in Washington," he told reporters regarding Mr. Weiner and his fellow Democrat from Queens, U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley. "Now they are in the majority, and I would expect ... them to bring home the bacon."

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According to Mr. Weiner's report, more than 1,800 city employees have been called to active duty since Sept. 11, 2001. That figure includes 1,087 Police Officers, 216 Firefighters, and 529 employees from other agencies.

Based on the document, those city employees have missed more than 600,000 days of work while deployed in the Middle East. That figure includes more than 350,000 lost days from Police Officers and Firefighters.

The personnel loss has cost the NYPD an estimated $38 million, the FDNY $5.4 million and other municipal agencies $13.7 million in replacement costs pertaining to salaries and overtime, according to the report. "Cities that are willing to bear the considerable costs of finding replacements and paying other employees' overtime should not have to bear the additional burden of subsidizing the Federal Government's war effort," the report asserted.

Most of the city workers called up have chosen to remain on the city payroll while also receiving their military salaries to allow their families to continue to qualify for the city's generous health benefits. Remaining on the city payroll also has enabled the officers to continue to contribute toward their pension and deferred compensation plans.

The officers, however, are required to repay the lesser of the two salaries upon returning from military service. That setup caused problems for returning veterans who were initially required to repay the housing and food allowances that they received while serving in the military.

Relieved of Obligation

But last Veterans' Day, Mayor Bloomberg announced that they would not be obligated to pay back those benefits after the reservists, many City Council Members, and law-enforcement unions complained of unfair calculations, which led to bills of up to $200,000 for some officers.

Under Mr. Weiner's proposal, the Department of Defense would be required to reimburse the city for the money it expends to fill the gap between an officer's city salary and his or her lower military pay.

Presently, there are a total of 303 city employees out on military leave, including 166 NYPD employees and 33 FDNY workers. In all, 17 New Yorkers have died in service, counting Firefighter Christian P. Engeldrum and Police Officer James D. McNaughton.