Mayor's Budget Includes Firefighter Layoffs

Though negotiations are still under way, the 2011-12 Trenton city budget could lead to three firefighter layoffs and the layoffs of four other city employees.

According to a budget recommendation by Trenton Mayor Gerald Brown, the recommended general fund budget for 2011-12 is about $18.1 million.

Lately, balancing has been no simple task. Recently, a proposed budget by Superintendent of Trenton Public Schools John Savel included 26 teacher layoffs. It seems the city may be heading in that direction, as well.

Brown's recommended budget anticipates financial pitfalls in the coming year and years to follow. Therefore, "some of the reductions will be be in the form of layoffs and the other positions by abolishment in the amount of seven full-time positions."

The reductions recommended in the budget are layoffs for three fire department employees, retirement for two Waste Water Treatment employees, one Department of Public Works Water Department employee (this position was budgeted for 2010-11, but was never filled) and one clerical position that is no longer needed after combining the Controller and Treasurer's offices.

Brown said retirements in the fire department could lessen the amount of layoffs equal to the amount of retirements that would take place.

Rick Benedetti, engineer with the Trenton Fire Department and president of the Trenton Firefighters Union Local 2701, said the union is currently negotiating with the city to try to convert some of the layoffs.

"Our guys are willing to work with less guys and still offer the same services we offer today," Benedetti said.

Last year the union agreed to a one-year 5 percent reduction in salaries, health care and retirement. Benedetti said the 5 percent reduction is part of the current negotiations.

"We went through this last year," Benedetti said. "We are always willing to work with the city. This isn’t the first time we've worked on this."

He added if layoffs are made the three lowest seniority firefighters would be the first to go. One of the men has six years with the department and two other men have two years.

Benedetti has been president for more than six years and he said he does not see a problem with the negotiations at this time.

"We are waiting to hear back from the city right now on some of the offers we made to them," Benedetti said.

He added he could not speak about the specifics of the negotiations because they are still underway.

"We've always come to an agreement with the city and I don’t really see a problem this time," Benedetti said. "We've got a really great bunch of guys here."

The budget was made under the assumption that all employees continue to honor a 5 percent concession decided upon for the current budget. Brown said a failure to negotiate the status quo could result in more reductions in personnel from those departments and/or unions that do not cooperate in the concession requests.

Brown said the known deficit the city faced was about $1.3 million. The number came from "preliminary forecasts of revenue reductions in the areas of property taxes, state revenue sharing and increased contributions to pension plans."

The total taxable value of the city's residential, commercial, industrial and personal property for 2011-12 has been reduced from $799 million in 2010-11 to $742 million according to Brown. This is a $57 million reduction of the city's taxable value.

"Each time a resident's property taxes fall, that is less money for the city," Brown said.

Brown said he recommends city council members approve his recommended budget the way it stands.

The budget recommendation was submitted to Trenton City Council last Monday. Look for more information following the next city council meeting April 4 at 8 p.m.