As expected in Cypress, with current City Manager John Bahorski the POA knew it would have its hands full in negotiations.  Bahorski had come to Cypress from Seal Beach and the Seal Beach police officers had warned Cypress officers that he was unsupportive of public safety.  Fortunately for Cypress, the POA had become politically active and was able to cause movement through communications with the City Council directly.  As a result, the Association and City ended up with a four-year contract.  Year one calls for a lump sum payment of $2,550.00 and an increase in medical of $40.00 per month.  Year two calls for an additional lump sum cash payment of $2,500.00 with a 2% raise in salary and a $30.00 increase in medical per month.  Year three calls for a 3% increase in salary with a $25.00 per month increase in medical and year four calls for an additional 3% increase in salary with an additional $25.00 in medical. 

The contentious item that surrounded Cypress POA's negotiations was the City wishing to maintain the employees' contribution toward the cost of the PERS pension.  The police officers have been contributing 6.132% of the PERS contribution since implementing 3 at 50 in 2001.  Given that most agencies have eliminated the employee having to pay any portion of the contribution, Cypress POA was hoping to eliminate this as well.  Unfortunately, given the current atmosphere in the public toward pensions in the public sector, the POA decided to hold off on the PERS issue for another day.