Just a few weeks ago, City Attorney Mike Aguirre wanted to televise the city’s ongoing labor talks with the firefighter and police officer unions.

“The taxpayers have a right to have a seat at the bargaining table; after all, it’s ultimately their money we’re spending,” Aguirre said in a Jan. 22 press release. “The financial crisis impacting our City’s pension system, which is underfunded by $1.4 billion, is precisely the result of labor negotiations being kept out of sight from public view and scrutiny.”

Now, Aguirre spokeswoman Maria Velasquez said he has changed his tune. The city attorney will not comment on anything related to the current bargaining talks, she said today.

Meanwhile, at the presentation of a firefighter wage survey at a council committee meeting today, one of Aguirre’s deputies said it was inappropriate for council members to publicly comment on the salaries offered to San Diego firefighters while bargaining is taking place.

EVAN McLAUGHLIN

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