By Topher Sanders
The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Fire Department would have to close four fire stations, put 10 emergency response vehicles out of services to begin finding 14 percent in cuts to help balance the city’s budget, according to preliminary budget documents and Jacksonville Fire Chief Marty Senterfitt.
The moves would cut $7.7 million from the department’s budget and mean the reduction of 135 positions through retirements, attritions and not filling vacancies. The city asked the fire department to find $12.2 million in cuts but Senterfitt said this is as close as he can come because of contractual restrictions which prevent layoffs.
That 14 percent cut directive went to all city agencies as the city tries to find $64 million in savings before Mayor Alvin Brown presents his budget on July 15. Brown says city council approval of his pension deal would ease the city’s budget pains tremendously.
The administration is calculating the pension deal to save $45 million in the upcoming budget, part of which comes from a $20 million payout from the Police and Fire Pension Fund. The remainder comes from the fund sticking with the assumption it is now using when it comes to how much it will earn on investments.
With the pension deal, Brown says the city and its departments would only have to find 4 percent in cuts.
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(c)2013 The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, Fla.)
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