This summer, long-time Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic got budget numbers that forced him to face the unthinkable: layoffs of public workers in the rubber city for the first time in nearly three decades. Cuts in city services and a lukewarm response to a voluntary buyout plan reduced the red ink slightly. But still, by October 1st, Akron faces a more than $7 million dollar budget shortfall. Plusquellic says First Energy's grant will keep 70 police and about 40 firefighters working, but he says the police and fire unions have done little in return.
Mayor Don Plusquellic: We've dumped all of this money into the savings that we needed to keep more police and fire fighters. And for whatever reason they choose not to understand that.
Head of Akron's 460-member police union Paul Hlynsky says morale is at an all time low. The city issued 201 layoff notices this week, over half of those went to police and fire workers. Hlynsky says he's frustrated that the city won't be more specific about where it wants the union to cut costs.
Paul Hlynsky: We have yet to get one proposal from the city. The mayor can have all the press conferences he wants. We've met numerous times with the city and they have yet to tell us what they want.
The police and fire unions are set to meet with Akron City Hall on the 21st to try and hammer out a last minute deal.