Money Available to Restore Pa. Firefighter Jobs
Source The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
In its ongoing tussle with the mayor over the 2012 budget, Scranton City Council on Monday said there is funding available that could help reinstate firefighters. Councilmembers did not, however, reinstate the positions themselves.
Instead, they passed a motion encouraging Mayor Chris Doherty to reinstate 13 of 29 positions set to be eliminated with $600,000 in savings from a Retiree Rx savings grant.
"City council takes people's public safety and welfare very seriously; as a result council included $600,000 in the budget from a prescription health care savings grant for which Mayor Doherty intends to apply in order to fund the reinstatement of 13 firefighters," council President Janet Evans said. "However, council did not include the positions in its amendments. It will be the mayor's decision to reinstate these 13 positions because council cannot violate the law, it can only provide the funding." Mrs. Evans is referring to an August Lackawanna County Court decision in which Visiting Senior Judge Harold Thomson ruled the city can lay off 13 police officers and eight firefighters despite a council-passed minimum manning legislation for 2011.
On Tuesday, council also presented amendments to the mayor's proposed 2012 budget that continue to call for cuts in staff, including 13 full-time and seven casual Department of Public Works employees, and decreases in proposed tax increases.
View documents about Council's Amendments HERE:
Amendment Presentation
* Firefighter Grant Money
* Personnel
* Revenue
* Expenditures
The lawmakers, who are proposing to cut a senior accountant position in the business administration office, expect to make the final vote on the budget tonight. They have until Thursday to adopt it, according to the Home Rule Charter
Council is calling for a 4.8 percent increase in the real estate tax, a 12 percent increase in the real estate transfer tax and a 16.7 percent increase in the business privilege and mercantile taxes. The amendments also call for a 10 percent decrease in administrator salaries.
While the cut to the firefighters and other components of the city's budget proposal has been hotly debated at prior meetings, Monday's meeting drew only three speakers.
Resident Bob Bolus suggested the city attempt to find new revenue sources, including a service fee levied against tax-exempt and nonprofit organizations.
The proposed cuts in staff have been met with opposition from the unions that represent the firefighters and public works employees.
"I think they (council) needed to be a little more aggressive in their funding of the Fire Department," said John Judge IV, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 60 secretary, after the meeting. "I understand the mayor says he has the sole discretion he can hire and fire, but I think council needs to take a stronger stance on public safety."
Mr. Judge said council should have restored the positions and forced the mayor to make the cuts if he chose to, adding the grant has been available for the past two years, but the city has not applied for it.
Reached after the meeting, Sam Vitris, president of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 2305, which represents public works employees, said the cuts will destroy the "entire department."
Efforts to reach Mr. Doherty after the meeting were unsuccessful.
The mayor had proposed to increase the real estate tax by 29.1 percent; real estate transfer tax by 16 percent and the business privilege and mercantile taxes by 33.3 percent. He also proposed to offer retirement incentives for 10 DPW workers. Council eliminated the buyout funding in its version of the budget.
Last week, council tabled action on the budget, citing a need to clarify questions about proposed $6.7 million in court-approved borrowing known as unfunded debt. It also tabled action on legislation to authorize the borrowing.
State law says unfunded debt can be used only to pay bills in a current year and the borrower must provide details on how the money will be spent. Council's amendments last week called for $6.7 million in borrowing but accounted for only $3.3 million in unpaid bills for 2011.
On Monday, council Finance Chairman Frank Joyce said additional revenue from taxes and early refinance help to cover funding necessary to pay for all the back bills, while the inclusion of about $1.6 million owed on a defaulted Scranton Redevelopment Authority loan helps the city account for all of its back bills.
Reached after the meeting, Business Administrator Ryan McGowan said he has yet to review council's changes. But he said a question is now whether the SRA loan can be included in the back bills.
He noted the city is in the process of applying for the grant for prescription savings, but also said a decision on how to use the funding has not been made.
Mr. McGowan declined to comment on the pay cut to administrators.
Speaking after the meeting, Councilman Pat Rogan said cutting administrator pay is fair given the personnel cuts throughout the city's departments.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
