Crowds of sign-waving public safety employees and their supporters gathered outside of the Saratoga Springs City Hall Tuesday to protest the possible loss of more than 30 police and fire fighter jobs prior to the City Council meeting.
The outpouring of support stemmed from proposed budget cuts by
Commissioner of Finance Kenneth Ivins Jr. that were intended to close
the $3 billion budget deficit left after the city lost their share of
VLT aid and other revenues that came in lower than city officials had
originally expected.
Ivins' original proposal asked all five departments in City Hall to make cuts to their budgets. However, the public safety department was asked to take the largest hit, which included $1.3 million in cuts. The loss of funds would have forced the department to eliminate 19 police and 14 fire fighter jobs to comply with the cuts.
However, after a special City Council meeting last Tuesday and increased pressure from police and fire fighter unions in the region, Ivins announced earlier this week that he would be introducing a new plan to eliminate the city's $3 million budget gap. Under the new proposal, the city would make $1.44 million in cuts from city departments and the remaining $1.55 would come from the city's surplus.
"Not a single fire fighter, not a single policeman is losing their position with these proposed cuts," Ivins said to the enthusiastic crowd that gathered in the Music Hall at City Hall instead of its usual chambers to accommodate the unusually large crowd.
While fire fighter and police officer jobs are safe for now, the new proposal does not come without the elimination of a few positions in City Hall. In the new proposal, the director of public works, city engineer, building inspector, public safety executive assistant and summer traffic control positions will be eliminated.
As for the occupiers of these positions, William McTygue, director of public works, and Paul Male, city engineer, are both eligible for retirement. The elimination of their positions would save the city an estimated $74,000.
The building inspector position, which is currently vacant, will now be covered by the city's three assistant building inspectors, indefinitely.
As for the Public Safety Assistant, Suzanne Kwasniewski, the elimination of her position would save the city approximately $10,000 for the current year. The city will, however, be required to pay unemployment insurance and continue its contribution to Kwasniewski's health insurance for the next six months.
The elimination of the summer traffic control positions, which help to control the heavy traffic that accumulates in the city during track season, would also save the city an additional $34,000.
Ivins is also looking into possibly consolidating the police department's dispatch unit, which would be taken over by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Department.
Prior to Ivins' presentation of his newly-proposed budget cuts, hundreds of people representing police and fire unions rallied outside City Hall.
The union members' dissatisfaction over the possible police and fire cuts also spilled over into the City Council meeting as Mayor Johnson threatened to clear the room, more than once, in response to cheering and booing by union members during the meeting.
Union members did get their chance to voice their opinion during the meeting's public comment period. For more than an hour, fire fighters and police officers stood before City Council members to explain to them the importance of public safety to the community. However, David Bronner, of 5 Royal Henley Court, was one of the few people to warn City Council members not to be bullied by the unions.
"This is becoming rule by the mob and it is not good," Bronner said.
While city council members did not vote on the newly-proposed budget cuts, Ivins set aside time to hold a public comment period on the proposed cuts at the next City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 16. During that meeting a public hearing on the cuts will be held at 6 p.m.
Ivins' original proposal asked all five departments in City Hall to make cuts to their budgets. However, the public safety department was asked to take the largest hit, which included $1.3 million in cuts. The loss of funds would have forced the department to eliminate 19 police and 14 fire fighter jobs to comply with the cuts.
However, after a special City Council meeting last Tuesday and increased pressure from police and fire fighter unions in the region, Ivins announced earlier this week that he would be introducing a new plan to eliminate the city's $3 million budget gap. Under the new proposal, the city would make $1.44 million in cuts from city departments and the remaining $1.55 would come from the city's surplus.
"Not a single fire fighter, not a single policeman is losing their position with these proposed cuts," Ivins said to the enthusiastic crowd that gathered in the Music Hall at City Hall instead of its usual chambers to accommodate the unusually large crowd.
While fire fighter and police officer jobs are safe for now, the new proposal does not come without the elimination of a few positions in City Hall. In the new proposal, the director of public works, city engineer, building inspector, public safety executive assistant and summer traffic control positions will be eliminated.
As for the occupiers of these positions, William McTygue, director of public works, and Paul Male, city engineer, are both eligible for retirement. The elimination of their positions would save the city an estimated $74,000.
The building inspector position, which is currently vacant, will now be covered by the city's three assistant building inspectors, indefinitely.
As for the Public Safety Assistant, Suzanne Kwasniewski, the elimination of her position would save the city approximately $10,000 for the current year. The city will, however, be required to pay unemployment insurance and continue its contribution to Kwasniewski's health insurance for the next six months.
The elimination of the summer traffic control positions, which help to control the heavy traffic that accumulates in the city during track season, would also save the city an additional $34,000.
Ivins is also looking into possibly consolidating the police department's dispatch unit, which would be taken over by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Department.
Prior to Ivins' presentation of his newly-proposed budget cuts, hundreds of people representing police and fire unions rallied outside City Hall.
The union members' dissatisfaction over the possible police and fire cuts also spilled over into the City Council meeting as Mayor Johnson threatened to clear the room, more than once, in response to cheering and booing by union members during the meeting.
Union members did get their chance to voice their opinion during the meeting's public comment period. For more than an hour, fire fighters and police officers stood before City Council members to explain to them the importance of public safety to the community. However, David Bronner, of 5 Royal Henley Court, was one of the few people to warn City Council members not to be bullied by the unions.
"This is becoming rule by the mob and it is not good," Bronner said.
While city council members did not vote on the newly-proposed budget cuts, Ivins set aside time to hold a public comment period on the proposed cuts at the next City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 16. During that meeting a public hearing on the cuts will be held at 6 p.m.
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