BOSTON --
David Amero, a Lawrence firefighter for six years, is one of 32 firefighters who were hand delivered layoff notices from the mayor's office Wednesday morning.
More than 115 Lawrence city employees were targeted in job cuts aimed at reducing a $24 million budget deficit.
"I don't know. It still kind of hasn't hit, I don't think, totally. But it's not good," said Amero, who has a wife and two small children.
Newscenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that the department already suffered a cutback in services and 32 positions when it was forced to close two fire stations last summer. In a city of 80,000 people, fire officials said it is being reduced to numbers adequate for a community of less that half that population.
"These numbers don't even make sense. It's just putting everybody in the city in jeopardy and every firefighter in jeopardy," said acting Chief Brian Murphy.
It was described as a dire situation for the police department as well, where 35 patrol officers also got pink slips.
As for Lawrence Schools, teachers now negotiating a contract are also potentially in the line of fire.
"There are some serious problems with the way the city has been run, and we're going to do all we can to work with the mayor and with the city to make sure that as many teachers as possible are in the classroom with the children," said Frank McLaughlin, the president of the Lawrence Teachers Union.
Newscenter 5's phone calls to Mayor William Lantigua's office were not returned. The president of the firefighters union said he's been trying to reach the mayor since January.
"I'm not sure how our union can make up such large numbers. We've always been a union that's been out front to sit down with the city and try to work on problems," said union president Patrick Driscoll.
The city reportedly hoped to raise revenue by installing new parking meters, doubling parking fines and aggressively going after property tax delinquents.
In the meantime, there was no doubt among many in Lawrence that it is going to be a long, hot, potentially dangerous summer.
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