The arbitrator's ruling is not the end of this contentious issue; it is the beginning of a new phase of torture Vallejoans will be facing in the coming months and years. In the blustering and posturing we've seen by the firefighters' union this past year, let's clear the air with myth vs. fact - which cannot be denied:

Myth: The union has been at the table, waiting for the city to negotiate.

Fact: Fire union bosses refused to negotiate, forcing the city to take the union bosses to court - twice, and file an Unfair Labor Practice against them with the state of California. The city won this in court, forcing the union bosses into arbitration.

Myth: The city is "hiding" money and refuses to share their detailed financial analysis.

Fact: The city procured an independent audit report and showed it to the union. Joe Tanner also offered at a public meeting to open the city's books to the union and the Chamber of Commerce to review.

Myth: The city council refused Thompson's negotiated deal in December, costing the city $6 million in potential savings.

Fact: The city rejected the proposal from the firefighters' union because there were no "cuts," they were deferrals that would

compound the city's deficit. It also required an extension of the union contract, which would only have prolonged our financial crisis.

Myth: Vallejo doesn't have a budget crisis.

Fact: The police and fire unions took raises in 2006 and 2007 that resulted in $6 million in additional annual spending. John Thompson attempted to get a meaningful compromise from the unions, but failed. The city council had no choice but to give the raises while cutting services in order to keep the city from running out of money.

Myth: Vallejo's spending on public safety is in line with surrounding cities.

Fact: Vallejo spends nearly 80 percent of our budget on police and fire compared - to an average of 54 percent among other cities. This cost covers mostly salary and benefit increases to existing employees and not to hire more front line police and firefighters.

Myth: Vallejo's public safety salaries are in line with surrounding cities.

Fact: Vallejo firefighters are paid 9 percent more than their counterparts in other similar sized cities and police officers 14 percent more, making them among the highest paid in the Bay Area.

Diana Lang, Vallejo