Riverside is the County that has privatized its libraries. That gets employees off the government rolls, saves pension funds and allows services people want at a lower cost. Now the city of Riverside has taken crossing guards off the government payrolls. Maybe they can do the same with landscaping, planning and numerous other departments that belong in the private sector.
“The move, which the council approved with no protests on Tuesday, April 15, is projected to save more than $306,000 over the life of the five-year, $4 million contract with All City Management Services, a Santa Fe Springs-based company that already provides guards for Riverside and Alvord schools outside the city.”
Money saved, better services—the people win.
CA News & Views
RIVERSIDE: City privatizes school crossing guard services
BY ALICIA ROBINSON, Press Enterprise, 4/16/14
Riverside will outsource about 78 crossing guard jobs that serve 41 area schools and have been in the city’s public works department since at least 1956.
The move, which the council approved with no protests on Tuesday, April 15, is projected to save more than $306,000 over the life of the five-year, $4 million contract with All City Management Services, a Santa Fe Springs-based company that already provides guards for Riverside and Alvord schools outside the city.
Public Works Director Tom Boyd proposed the contract because it’s become increasingly hard to staff supervisor and on-call guard positions, and because workers’ compensation costs for guards have soared in recent years.
Boyd said current guards will be offered jobs with All City at their present pay rate, and while some benefits would change, they may be eligible for bonuses with the private company. Guard services will switch to the private sector in July.
