IBERIA PARISH (NEW IBERIA) — New Iberia Fire Chief Gordon Copell says many of the city’s full-time firefighters are questioning their career choices due to low wages.
"Why be a firefighter when you can make more at Firehouse Subs?" said Copell in an interview with KATC.
Nearly 50 firefighters employed by the city face this dilemma, with the current pay rate set at $10.72 an hour, unchanged since 2003.
According to Copell, the fire department used to have "a stack" of job applications, but now has zero due to the pay rate.
A proposed quarter-cent sales tax could help raise firefighter salaries if it passes on March 29:
City of New Iberia Proposition
(Sales Tax)
Shall the City of New Iberia, State of Louisiana (the "City"), be authorized to levy and collect in accordance with Louisiana law a sales and use tax of 0.25% (the "Tax") (an estimated $2,000,000 reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the Tax for an entire year), in perpetuity, commencing July 1, 2025, with the proceeds of the Tax (after paying the reasonable and necessary costs and expenses of collecting and administering the Tax), to be used solely to pay salaries and benefits of personnel for the fire department of the City, including an initial raise for such personnel in the first full fiscal year following the effective date of the Tax?
The new tax is expected to generate an estimated $2 million annually.
“We’re not giving out two million dollars in raises,” Copell clarified. “We’re going to use what we need to use...We try to be real frugal with the taxpayer's dollars.”
The city's department is still operating on funds from a sales tax approved more than 20 years ago, but Copell says those funds are quickly running out.
“In the state of Louisiana, for fire departments to raise base pay for a starting fireman, everybody’s base pay has to increase; that’s where we run into a problem."
The chief told KATC that "no one wants more taxes, including 'us' (meaning fire personnel)" —but said this was the only option.
"We tried everything," he said, "But this is the only way to start making our pay competitive."
According to firefighters at the department, surrounding fire stations of similar size are paying up to $4 more than New Iberia.
"It’s a great place to work, the benefits are great, we just have to address that salary,” Cropell said.
The proposed sales tax aims to provide a sustainable solution to improve pay for firefighters, though it also raises questions about balancing the needs of local firefighters with the financial concerns of residents.
Early voting: March 15-22
Election Day: March 29
