The mayor says he's pleased the city will be able to pay its bills, but this budget passed Wednesday night is leaving many people unhappy, especially police officers.
Mayor Mike Bell says, "I feel good. We've come a long way. We began with a $48 million deficit and now we have a slight surplus."
"I thought we should just sit here until we got it done", says Toledo City Council President Wilma Brown. "We could not leave the city in limbo and maybe the citizens will understand that we did what we had to do."
Council voted 7 to 5, approving a reduction in the reciprocity income tax credit for Toledoans who work outside the city. The credit would go down from 100 percent to 75 percent. This affects 19,000 residents and is expected to generate $2 million this year. Councilman Joe McNamara says this amendment is why he voted against the budget.
"I think that's very bad for middle class and working class families right now. It is not in our best interest."
Council also voted 8-3, proving a trash fee increase. It will go up to $15 a month for the remainder of this year and decrease to $12.50 a month in 2011. This is expected to generate $11 million this year.
The mayor, however, pledged to reduce the trash fee and fully restore the reciprocity income tax credit if voters pass Issue 5 on the May ballot, which allows the city to use some capitol improvement project money in the general fund.
"If it's successful, we can give some of that back to the people," says Mayor Bell.
The exigent circumstances approved by council call for unilateral cuts for all exempt employees as well as members of the Toledo Police Command Officers Association, Toledo Fire Chiefs Association, AFSCME Local 7, Toledo Police Patrolman's Association, and AFSCME 2058.
The president of the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association says it's illegal and filed for a temporary restraining order in court Wednesday morning, which was denied. He also warned police officers are considering calling in sick in protest.
TPPA president Dan Wagner says, "Tonight 's action unified our members. They told me, before this, if it passed some would come down with the blue flu. I have been trying to prevent this, stressing that the safety of our citizens is our number one priority, but a lot of our members are wrapped up in this emotionally."
One thing that's absent from this budget is the 8% ticket tax.
