California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have delivered a long-overdue pay raise to CAL FIRE state firefighters—just months after Los Angeles endured the most expensive wildfire in state history.
The bill, which passed the state legislature with near-unanimous support, aimed to close the glaring wage gap between state firefighters and their local counterparts. While CAL FIRE base pay starts at just over $54,000 a year, city firefighters in Los Angeles make at least $85,000—some departments pay nearly 30% more.
Newsom’s veto, issued Friday, stunned union leaders and firefighters alike. In a letter explaining his decision, the governor cited “significant cost pressures” and claimed the bill would “circumvent the collective bargaining process.” That rationale didn’t sit well with CAL FIRE’s union.
“It’s highly disappointing and frustrating,” said Tim Edwards, president of CAL FIRE Local 2881. “He vetoed the bill the day before we honored six fallen firefighters on the memorial wall. It sends the wrong message.”
The proposed legislation would have guaranteed CAL FIRE salaries within 15% of the average pay of 20 local departments. State analysts estimated the bill’s first-year cost between $373 million and $609 million.
Newsom’s administration argued that CAL FIRE employees earn more overall when factoring in overtime and benefits. A 2023 report from the state’s human resources department claimed that while base pay lagged behind local departments by 87%, that gap shrank to 16.7% when including total compensation.
But those numbers do little to reflect the burnout firefighters say they’re experiencing. State firefighters work significantly more hours—an average of 156 days per year, compared to 121 days for many local departments.
The bill itself noted that California’s worsening wildfire season has put additional strain on already overworked firefighters. Advocates say competitive pay is essential for both retention and recruitment.
Ironically, just weeks ago, Newsom launched a flashy new campaign to attract more recruits to CAL FIRE, including a new website, joincalfire.com. Now, the same governor is rejecting efforts to pay those firefighters closer to what they’re worth.
The message to California’s frontline heroes is clear: fight the fires, just don’t expect to get paid like it.
The post Gavin Newsom Vetoes Pay Raise for State Firefighters After Los Angeles Firestorm appeared first on Real News Now.
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