Some Houston City Council members are eagerly awaiting next week's vote on Mayor Sylvester Turner's plan for Proposition B.
Fire Chief Sam Pena told council on Tuesday he will have to lay off 220 firefighters, along with shift reductions and other moves to honor voter-approved pay raises.
“I have to figure out a system on how to maintain the majority of our apparatus in service, how to avoid any closure of fire stations and still deliver a comprehensive level of service to this community,” Pena said afterward.
Councilman Michael Kubosh doesn't blame the fire chief, he says the buck stops with Mayor Turner.
“When the city of Houston voters voted to give firefighters a pay raise, they did not vote for us to lay them off, and yet that's what is happening,” he says.
Kubosh says he plans to vote 'no' when the Prop B measure finally goes before council next week.
“Remember, they revealed $396 million that is being spent without City Council's approval, and they have not yet fully disclosed all these contracts.”