Utica Common Council: Deeper Cuts to Police & Fire

Utica, NY (WIBX) - The Utica Common Council has been examining Mayor Palmieri's city budget over the last few weeks, now the council is suggesting deeper cuts to police and fire departments.

Mayor Palmieri originally called for the reduction of 38 city employees, 11 from police and 6 from the fire department. Now, the Council would like to see that number pushed closer to 50, with 12 additional cuts coming from police and fire.

Utica Police PBA President Dominick Nitti feels like the council has blind-sided union members. "We know they've wanted something from us, we've asked for weeks, just give us a number of bodies you were gonna fire and we'll get a dollar amount to try to save those jobs" said Nitti, adding "I think their whole intention from 3 1/2 weeks ago was to get concessions from us, use that money however they felt to use it, not to save jobs like they claimed they wanted to do".
The Common Council will met Monday tonight at Utica's City Hall, they are expected to make a final budget decision Tuesday.