Budget forces 2 cuts

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January 9, 2009

Mayor cites falling revenues in laying off firefighters

By SCOTT SMITH The Kokomo Tribune Fri Jan 09, 2009, 10:54 PM EST

Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight laid off two city firefighters indefinitely Friday, citing ongoing budget constraints and the city’s declining tax revenues.

Goodnight’s decision comes the same week Kokomo Common Council members voted narrowly to award raises to members of Kokomo Firefighters Local 396.

“It doesn’t come as a shock,” said Local 396 president Rick Daily, who said Goodnight had repeatedly threatened layoffs if certain concessions couldn’t be negotiated.

Last month, an arbitration panel awarded the firefighters 1.5 percent raises for each of the next two years, and the council ratified that decision Monday.

Goodnight, faced with cutting $2.3 million from city spending over the next two years, would not rule out layoffs after Monday’s council vote.

“I will work within the budget,” the mayor said when asked if he would lay off firefighters.

“It’s a safety issue. Right now, with these two layoffs, we’re 10 firefighters short,” Daily said Friday. “Last year in the United States, 114 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty. [Goodnight] says it’s not a safety issue. I beg to differ.”

City director of operations Randy Morris stressed the city has already moved to take three firefighters out of administrative duties and put them “back on the trucks.”

Earlier this year, three firefighters serving in district chief positions were re-assigned to fire crews, a move city officials said would help the city meet manpower requirements and cut down on firefighter overtime.

Before that, Goodnight laid off two probationary firefighters who had been hired just before former Mayor Matt McKillip left office. The firefighters union is pursuing a formal grievance over those two layoffs.

“We want to assure the public this will not impact safety issues within the city,” Morris said Friday. “And we do know this will allow us to stay within the 2009 budget.”

Councilman Mike Wyant, D-1st, voted in favor of the firefighter pay raises.

He said Goodnight was frank with the council prior to the vote, telling members that no matter which way the vote went, he couldn’t promise not to lay off city workers.

“Whether we would give a raise or not, [Goodnight] wouldn’t commit to that.”

The 2008 state property tax reform bill, known as HB 1001, will cut $509,000 from anticipated city property tax revenues this year.

In 2010, the city’s property tax levy will be about $1.8 million less than it would have been if HB 1001 hadn’t passed.

Morris wouldn’t comment Friday as to whether the firefighters will still receive the 1.5 percent raise this year.

City council attorney Corbin King and city attorney Derek Sublette have differing legal opinions as to whether Goodnight has the authority to veto Monday’s council vote. King said the vote is final; Sublette said Goodnight can veto it.

Council members ratified the raises by a 5-4 vote. Six votes would be needed to override a mayoral veto, if there is one. Goodnight must decide by Jan. 15 if he will veto the council vote.

The firefighters also aren’t protected from further layoffs.

Members of the Fraternal Order of Police are the only city employees protected by a “no involuntary layoff” clause in their contract.

The firefighters, meanwhile, are the only city employees to receive raises, due to the arbitration ruling.

Both the FOP and the city’s AFSCME union ratified contracts containing wage freezes, rather than force arbitration.

Scott Smith may be reached at (765) 454-8569 or via e-mail at scott.smith@kokomotribune.com

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