Houston City Council Members expressing "sticker shock" over firefighter settlement
HOUSTON - The Houston City Council expressing full-blown "sticker shock" at the cost of seven years of back pay and five years of guaranteed raises moving forward for firefighters who suffered without a contract for far too long.
"So we should just roughly state that about $1.5 billion plus, give or take, is the numbers we need to looking at," said Council Member Edward Pollard.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: City of Houston, firefighters reach tentative agreement in contract controversy
While the cost should come as little surprise to those around the city hall horseshoe, the negotiated settlement is a tough pill to swallow for elected leaders already facing a $160-million deficit inherited from the last administration, which experts say resorted to accounting maneuvers to balance the books.
The painful financial comeuppance for eight years of calculated procrastination hasn't stopped some on council from critiquing the settlement negotiated by Mayor John Whitmire.
"So there are costs that we are discussing today that we do not yet know what the actual cost will be projected for the City of Houston," said Council Member Abbie Kamin, in reference to multiple incentives included for firefighters in the deal.
The Mayor and longtime Texas Senator is pushing back against the critics.
"It was always going to be expensive. We had huge risk if we went to court.... Bob Bullock, tough Lt. Governor, used to drill us by saying, 'If you don't like this plan, What's your plan?' It was a pretty sobering question and he was a no-nonsense guy. So, I've come up with a plan that I think is fiscally responsible. It's going to require us to have additional revenue. I think we need to put everything on the table," said Whitmire.
A search for revenue, which will likely include asking voters to raise their city taxes in November to fund the escalating cost public safety.