San Jose Leaders Warn Of Hundreds Of Police, Firefighter Layoffs
SAN JOSE (KCBS) – San Jose officials are warning of massive layoffs this year as a result of the city's multi-million dollar deficit, which could have a major impact on public safety.
In a worse case scenario, San Jose could lose more than a quarter of its public safety employees this year. That's an estimated 349 police officers, and 145 firefighters. The city let 49 firefighters go last year after the union balked at making concessions. New San Jose Police Chief Chris Moore said that this year everyone knows how serious the budget situation is.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
"Both sides have come to this with a sense of reality, so I'm very confident that at some point we're going to get to some resolution, I just don't know what it's going to be, or when," said Moore.
A final decision on layoffs probably won't be made until June.
Even if employee unions agree to the city's request for 10 percent reductions in pay and benefits, San Jose will still likely have to make big cuts to public safety and service to deal with its $110 million deficit.
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