Detroit Mayor Proposes 754 Layoffs for Firefighters

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Detroit Mayor Proposes 754 Layoffs FireFighters

ASSOCIATED PRESS

DETROIT (AP) -- Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on Tuesday presented a draft budget that includes 754 additional layoffs, including some in the police and Fire departments.

Detroit has been struggling with a deficit of more than $300 million, and some have predicted the city could end up in receivership.

The 754 layoffs are in addition to more than 900 job cuts that Kilpatrick announced in January. At that time, he said he had no plans to touch police officers.

In his address to City Council on Tuesday, Kilpatrick proposed reducing the number of commanders and inspectors in the department. In addition, existing classes at the police academy would be suspended, he said.

''Not one police officer who is out there patrolling the streets today will be laid off,'' Kilpatrick said.

However, he said that promise could be kept only if the officers' union agrees to renegotiate benefits.

In addition, Kilpatrick is proposing 61 layoffs in the fire department and 47 in EMS.

[CFD320 35]

We all hate to see Firefighters lose jobs but the city of Detroit is a complete disaster. The auto industry pulling some operations out of there almost 15 years ago now destroyed the local economy. Detroit was never able to recover.......

[ny10570 745]

while any layoffs to firefighters friggin blows, please be at least a little more responsible in your headlines. "Detroit Mayor Proposes 754 Layoffs for Firefighters" its actually 61ff's