Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner warns if state lawmakers don't pass his pension reform plan, the city will be forced to lay off as many as 2,200 city employees.
Most of the layoffs, he says, would be in public safety.
The mayor is urging Houstonians to call on state lawmakers to pass the pension plan.
Turner and other city leaders are warning if the pension reform plan isn’t approved during this session the Texas Legislature – which only convenes once every two years -- thousands of police, firefighters and other employees will be laid off in the coming months.
Police Chief Art Acevedo tells NewsRadio 740 KTRH that would affect the entire region – and negatively so.
Turner says lack of passage would mean the city would cut at least 1,700 jobs – and as many as 2,200.
The Houston City Council approved the plan earlier this year, but the state must sign off on it.