The president of the Hermosa Beach Firefighters Association said a city councilman did not have his facts straight when he questioned whether the firefighters’ nonprofit organization diverted money from charitable causes to political ones.
Association President Aaron Bush said firefighters use a separate legal entity, Firefighters for Better Government, to engage in political issues, and the Association spends all its money on charitable and educational endeavors and its own overhead, including a grant-writing consultant.
Bobko said he would not believe that the Association did not take part in political endeavors unless that was confirmed by an examination of the Association’s financial records.
Bobko and firefighters have previously tilted over the firefighters’ legal challenge to a proposed two-tiered pension plan for municipal employees, and over a raised median strip on the recently overhauled Pier Avenue.
Bobko last week challenged the Firefighters Association’s non-political status from the council dais, when he opposed a request to waive a $480 fee for a street banner promoting the Association’s charity poker tournament.
“I take issue with this. We have made it a policy on this council not to waive banner fees, and I think this is an organization we should not waive the fee for,” Bobko said.
“I understand that in some cases we’ve done it for nonprofit groups, and while these guys call themselves a 501(c)(3) [IRS designation for a charitable nonprofit organization]…they are definitely in the business of advocacy, and the money that they raise from the poker tournament and all the other things that they do goes into political advocacy,” Bobko said.
“These guys are no more a 501(c)(3) than I am the king of Prussia. So I oppose this – vehemently oppose this,” he said.
“I think we are being taken advantage of by someone who uses the money that we supply them to oppose the policies that we’re trying to put into effect on the city’s behalf,” Bobko said. “…So I suggest that this is an inappropriate use of taxpayers’ funds to support an organization that will turn around and use those funds against the taxpayers.”
The council voted 3-2 to deny the fee waiver, with councilmen Howard Fishman and Jeff Duclos dissenting.
In an interview Bobko said the firefighters engage in politics, citing their lawsuit over the two-tier pension proposal and their endorsements of candidates for City Council seats.
“There is no question they engage in advocacy, like suing the city to try to prevent pension reform. That’s public advocacy. Those attorneys’ fees come from somewhere,” he said.
In a prepared statement this week, Bush said it was “unfortunate that a council member misspoke and perhaps was confused about HBFA 501(c)(3) nonprofit and Firefighters for Better Government.
“HBFA [the Association] does not use money towards any lawsuit against the city, or for any other type of political advocacy,” Bush said. “I hope that in the future, if there is any confusion or information that is needed about HBFA, that the council will contact the Hermosa Beach Firefighters Association directly for clarification.”
Bush said Hermosa firefighters maintain three organizations: the charitable Association, the state-registered political organization, and union Local 3371, which, “like all fire and police, are bound by state law” to negotiate pay and benefits with the city.
“The members of the Local 3371 union have created an organization and fund, called the Firefighters for Better Government. This is a state registered entity, and is a financial stand-alone account, that only deals with political actions that the union feels it needs to take a position on,” Bush said.
“The money in this fund is all personal, out of pocket money, from the individual union members. This fund is not generated by any donations from nonprofit organizations or from any fundraising involving the public,” he said.
“Those same firefighters are also members of a 501(c)(3) organization called The Hermosa Beach Firefighters Association,” Bush said.
“HBFA is an entirely separate entity that was formed to help support local charities and other organizations that the firefighters believe would help their cause, such as the Burn Foundation for burn victims, local schools, and many other local charitable organizations,” Bush said.
In a letter to the City Council asking officials to waive the banner fee, the association wrote that “a portion of donated proceeds goes to charities, because a portion also goes toward the nonprofit’s operating cost, which allows our HBFA events to be successful,” Bush said.
“HBFA is a very small group of individual firefighters; it is very difficult for HBFA to take on all the duties necessary to put on a successful fundraising event. Since we are dedicated to continue our mission to help contribute to charities and organizations throughout the South Bay region, we have hired AGS (Alpha Grant Solutions) to help us achieve these goals. This is an example of an operating cost borne by HBFA in trying to accomplish its charitable mission,” Bush said.
“Even though AGS contributes a lot to help us keep our operating costs down, there are many overhead costs that are unavoidable to make things happen, such as advertising fees, facilities cost, permits, etc. Other than these operating costs, donated proceeds go towards the charities HBFA supports, never to political/legal action or advocacy,” Bush said.
Bobko, who neither sought nor received the firefighters’ endorsement in his two election campaigns, was unconvinced.
“Show me the books. Prove it. I don’t believe it,” he said.
“We have nothing to hide. If somebody wants to look at our books, that is what will happen,” Bush responded.
“I’m sure that structurally there is a separate 501(c)(3) arm, but the difference is I never hear of the Woman’s Club advocating for higher pensions or more pay, or endorsing council candidates,” Bobko said.
“The Kiwanis Club, the Beach Cities Toy Drive we hold every year, those are the other nonprofits we generally waive fees for in the city. The only way you know whether you’re dealing with [the firefighters’] allegedly nonprofit group or their political arm is by their designation, and I think that’s a problem,” Bobko said.
“If you donate to the toy drive there’s no question you’re giving toys to the needy. You’re not worried that they’re taking toys on behalf of a candidate or a position. That’s not the case with the firefighters’ union. If I work at Taste at the Beach, I’m not worried that half the money they raise is going to be used by the Kiwanis to fight pension reform,” he said.
“With the Firefighters Association there is no way to determine who you’re dealing with or where the money goes, other than for them to decide,” Bobko said. “That’s the fundamental difference, and that’s what troubles me.” ER
