| From the Reporter |
| The Fire Union’s Big Defeat |
| After leading the charge for a half-cent sales tax increase last year, city firefighters lost overwhelmingly. The warnings they delivered about the tax hike’s effect on public safety didn’t materialize. |
| The Second Defeat |
| Earlier this year, proponents of a pension reform measure agreed to exclude police officers from a shift to a 401(k)-style plan for new hires. But firefighters weren’t excluded. |
| The Next Battle |
| Firefighters are playing a lead role in the effort to defeat the ballot measure, which would go to voters next summer if it qualifies. |
| The Big Picture |
| The losses showed how much the fire union’s influence has dipped within the halls of power at City Hall as the city’s pension crisis took its toll. Now, if the June 2012 initiative comes to be, it could be the ultimate test of whether their political clout has significantly waned. |