There is a story in today’s paper and online about concessions offered by the firefighters union, Stockton Professional Firefighters Local 456, to city leaders in an attempt to close the budget deficit and save jobs, keep stations open and maintain staffing levels firefighters say are necessary.
The union put together an offer of about $5.7 million, mostly by extending the deferment of scheduled raises for another year. In the story is a reference to the Fire Department’s share of the budget deficit: $6.8 million. That is correct, but that was not all the union’s burden to bear. Deputy City Manager Laurie Montes said that labor’s estimated share is only about $5.9 million, moving the offer much closer to the target.
