In the midst of one of the toughest budget years in its 39-year history, the city of Simi Valley is giving 115 police officers a 7 percent raise in salary and benefits.

Why, when all other departments are staring down cuts and some city employees are concerned about keeping their jobs, are our cops getting paid more? Because, the city says, it's in their contract.

That contract, signed three years ago in friendlier economic times, guaranteed officers an annual increase in pay and benefits. Police received a flat 3 percent raise in '05, a 5 percent raise in '06, and 5.5 percent last year.

According to the terms of the deal, which expires this coming July, the raise was based on the average compensation of 12 similar police agencies, plus 4 percent. That formula wound up costing taxpayers an additional $1.35 million this year, nearly $250,000 more than what the city had budgeted for last July.

While the Simi Valley Police Department can continue boasting about being one of the best-paying departments in the region, city officials must find a way to squeeze another quarter of a million dollars out of a budget already faced with an estimated $3million shortfall.

As much as we value our police officers and understand the need for the department to remain competitive in hiring new officers, this latest raise just doesn't sit well.

Was there nothing the Simi Valley Police Officers' Association—the union that represents our local cops—and the city could do to renegotiate the deal considering the economic downturn, at the very least adjusting the increase to fall in line with the $1.1 million the city had already budgeted? Surely, the United Auto Workers will be adjusting their wages and contracts to assist the struggling auto industry.

Don't officers feel the least bit guilty about accepting the extra pay amidst such a dismal financial backdrop? After all, many of our cops live and work in the community—so they're well aware of the struggle many of its residents are facing.

A city needs flexibility, and a fouryearcontract with guaranteed raises each year doesn't allow for that. Let's hope that when the two sides sit down at the negotiating table later this year, the city's negotiating team won't make that mistake again.