The York City Council passed its 2015 budget Tuesday night, cutting eight firefighter positions, including four January 1st layoffs.
Some of the firefighters affected attended the budget meeting, speaking out for their jobs.
Some Council members tried to find money elsewhere in the budget to save the jobs.
The police union’s new contract was officially ratified and added to the budget; it saved dozens of officers’ jobs that were on the line.
But on Tuesday an amendment passed in the Council to cut two non-union, civilian police jobs. That freed up $79,000 and one Councilmember moved to use that money to save one firefighter job, but that motion failed.
Fred DeSantis, president of the York firefighters’ union (IAFF), says negotiations will continue. The union is working on savings through the pensions. If they’re successful in working out a deal with the city by January 31st, the jobs cut could be restored.
“We already knew this was coming,” DeSantis said of the budget vote. “I mean it’s disappointing, these guys are taxpayers, city residents, just like I am. And they committed to the city by buying city homes, and this is the thanks they get.”
The budget did pass without a tax increase.
