Prosecutors, Defenders and Caregivers Warn Board: Pay Crisis Threatens Public Safety

Solano County supervisors heard an urgent and emotional parade of public employees and caregivers demanding competitive wages at their March 10 meeting, with DA and public defender attorneys documenting a 20% pay gap and in-home care providers calling the county's 50-cent raise offer "an offense." The board also unanimously banned heavy commercial trucks from 18 rural roads and celebrated the county's social workers and agriculture industry before adjourning to closed-session labor talks with no reportable action.

• DA and public defender attorneys warn 6% raise over three years will trigger another staffing exodus while surrounding counties offer 12%
• IHSS caregivers say Solano's $18.10/hour wage trails Napa's $20.50, and every dollar in raises brings back $0.86 in state and federal funds
• Board bans heavy trucks from 18 county roads after years of pavement damage from commercial rigs leaving I-80 and I-505
• Social workers spotlight field dangers: 37% face verbal assaults, 14% physical attacks, while housing and child welfare systems strain
• Farm Bureau president plans to lobby Congressman Thompson on federal specialty crop classification that shortchanges California fruit and nut growers

Five attorneys from the District Attorney's and Public Defender's offices — along with their labor representative — used public comment to deliver a coordinated, deeply personal appeal to the Board of Supervisors as Unit 1 contract negotiations remain unresolved.