By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – City budget negotiations hit a snag Tuesday and now Mayor Anthony Masiello is warning of deep cuts. Masiello met with the head of the Buffalo firefighters union along with the Common Council majority leader and other advisors but were unable to come to terms on a health care plan.
Now Masiello has announced budget vetoes that would lead to 72 layoffs in several departments. That would include 17 fire fighters.
The Buffalo Fiscal Stability Board had asked the city to re-work the proposed budget plan, putting all city employees under one health care plan. But Masiello says Joe Foley, president of the firefighters union, has backed down on the verbal agreement. Foley responds his members cannot compromise their health insurance without some type of written guarantee from the city.
Click the "listen" icon above to hear Eileen Buckley's interview with Mayor Masiello about the impact of Tuesday's developments on the city's budget process.