Jefferson Parish has rolled out a $50,000 public-relations campaign that parish officials say is meant to inform residents about firefighter pay, cranking up a months-long showdown between union leaders and parish hall. The effort arrives as firefighters push for steep hikes in starting pay and try to rally voters behind a potential millage. Union leaders counter that the campaign distorts the real pay picture and risks turning already tense negotiations, with council showdowns and picket lines, into a full-on political brawl.
What the parish is saying
According to NOLA.com, Jefferson Parish this week posted an FAQ and a one-page flyer that argue many firefighters already bring home six-figure incomes when overtime and state pay supplements are counted. Drawing on payroll figures from the East Bank consolidated department, the flyer says roughly 47% of the department’s 242 firefighters earn more than $100,000 a year. It also estimates that a homeowner with a $400,000 house would pay about $500 more annually if the union’s requested raises were funded through a dedicated millage. Parish officials say the campaign could run for up to a year so residents have more context on the costs and mechanics of any potential tax question.
Union fires back
The Jefferson Parish Firefighters Association argues the parish is glossing over fundamental problems with base pay and that the $50,000 earmarked for messaging should instead go straight into firefighters’ paychecks. The council voted last fall to hire Gambel Communications for up to $50,000 to build the informational campaign, a move that did not sit well with union leaders. Union Trustee Mitch Arbaugh told WVUE/Fox 8 that “we don’t think we need a communications firm to explain that firefighters haven’t had a raise in the past 18 years.” Firefighters have been picketing in recent weeks and say they are organizing around a sharp increase in starting pay, noting that recruits now begin at about $10.53 an hour before state supplements.
Poll and budget warnings
The union has tried to show the public is on its side. A poll it commissioned from Greg Buisson’s firm found that 80% of 378 respondents would support increasing the dedicated millage to boost firefighter pay, according to NOLA.com. Parish leaders, for their part, point to an internal review by consultant EisnerAmper that projects about a $13.5 million shortfall for the fire department before the existing millage expires in 2032, a gap they say is driven largely by rising personnel costs. Any ballot measure to raise more money would first need four votes from the Parish Council just to make it onto the ballot, which keeps council members squarely in the middle of the fight.
State law raises the stakes
Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng has repeatedly argued that an older Louisiana law requires raises at the bottom of the firefighter pay scale to be matched up the ladder, which she says would greatly increase the cost of lifting starting wages. She has estimated that complying with that law would cost in the neighborhood of $9.8 million, WVUE/Fox 8 reported. Because of that legal backdrop, the administration says the more realistic long-term fix may be changing state law rather than simply asking voters for a tax hike that applies only to the East Bank. Council members, meanwhile, are split over whether to lean into the outreach campaign or move faster toward some kind of budget solution.
Legal fallout
The clash has already spilled into court. Parish President Lee Sheng obtained a temporary restraining order against a firefighter after comments made during a heated council meeting, according to WDSU. Union leaders say their members are angry but not stepping back, and some rank-and-file firefighters have publicly warned that their tactics could escalate if progress stalls. For now, each side is staging demonstrations, trading numbers in public, and mapping out its next moves around upcoming council votes and voter outreach.
What’s next
Any significant change to East Bank firefighters’ pay will have to clear the Parish Council and, depending on the path, could also require action at the state legislature. That means the next phase of this dispute is likely to play out in public meetings, not behind closed doors. Both the administration and the union say negotiations remain possible, but each is clearly gearing up its own outreach strategy, with the parish leaning on its informational campaign and the union relying on polling and visible demonstrations. Residents who want to track the fight can watch council agendas and check the parish’s online materials for updates on proposed measures and public hearings.
