Contract negotiations between the city of Simi Valley and the Simi Police Officers Association have been going on for several months now, and even after the adoption of a budget in June, word is the two sides remain far apart.

The sweet, four-year deal the union struck with the city in 2005 expired last week, meaning our officers are operating without a contract for the first time since 2001, a sign of the economically turbulent times. That contract, remember, guaranteed Simi officers an annual increase in pay and benefits, resulting in a 3 percent raise in '05, a 5 percent raise in '06, a 5.5 percent in '08 and a whopping 7 percent increase this year—all while city revenues were taking a sharp decline.

Because meetings between the two sides are closed to the public, there's no way of knowing what the city's offering, or what's preventing an agreement. Regardless, the union's refusal to strike a deal after all this time—even after city employees agreed to take a 2 percent pay cut to balance the budget—is hurting the image of our hard-working, dedicated men and women in law enforcement.

Part of the reason is timing. Across the state and county, residents are waking up to the impact powerful public employee unions are having on the cost of government. While there's plenty of blame to go around for the state's embarrassing budget crisis—last week Sacramento started handing out IOUs—the bloated pensions, created by years of union pressure, are a big part of the problem. A recent grand jury report found that increasing entitlements threaten coffers in Ventura County as well.

And while the size of the Simi Police Officers Association pales in comparison to the state's larger unions, here in Simi, there's no doubting its power and influence. Not only do many law enforcement officers call Simi home, but public safety and a low crime rate have long been the city's calling card. Few, if any, are willing to challenge the police union publicly, even, it seems, when it's making unreasonable demands.

Our officers are invaluable, and their willingness to put their lives on the line every day for our safety makes their situation a special one. But it doesn't change the fact that they are public employees, paid for with our tax dollars, and those dollars are becoming increasingly scarce.

We implore the union reps to reach a fair compromise with the city, one that maintains the number of officers on the street, provides competitive pay and benefits, but is reflective of the current economic climate. The reps may think they're doing what's best for their members, but it looks to us like they're biting the hand that feeds them.