Posted by Dave Dykema - email
TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Mayor Carty Finkbeiner announced that half of the planned police layoffs have been spared--at least for the month of May.
Instead of 150 Toledo cops being let go, it's only going to be 75.
"66 of those 75 officers will be from field operations, on the afternoon and night shifts," Chief Mike Navarre said.
The temporary reduction in layoffs means Chief Navarre can modify his manpower plan.
"The major changes which take effect immediately means the retention of the gang task force in its entirety," Navarre said.
Toledo's mayor says it's now up to City Council to approve his budget balancing plan to avoid further layoffs in June.
"The city depends upon the income of working men and women to keep policemen, firemen, and refuse workers on the street," said Finkbeiner.
Another "must" according to the mayor? Major union concessions.
"We are in for a tougher next several years. The contract packages cannot be as generous as they were in the '90s."
Councilman Frank Szollosi says the responsibility falls squarely on the mayor to prevent more layoffs.
"He belongs at the negotiating table with a new Chief of Staff today to come up with concessions it's going to take to reduce those layoffs."
Mike Collins says before Council approves any revenue enhancement measures, lowering labor expenses must be dealt with.
"Once you get labor costs down then you can see clearly where you have to go in order to be able to fill the hole that's left," Collins said.
