No Public Safety Job Cuts, For Now

   Hundreds of first responders from Saratoga Springs, Troy, Schenectady, Albany and  Watervliet came together Tuesday night, outraged over speculation Saratoga Springs Police and Fire jobs may be cut to make up for a multi-million dollar budget shortfall. Protesters chanted and cheered as motorists honked in support, hoping city officials conveening for a city council meeting would hear their cries and take the proposed cuts off the table.

It seems, their efforts worked.

Finance Commissioner Kenneth Ivins, Junior told a packed auditorium, "Not one single firefighter, not one single policeman is loosing their job with the proposed cuts."

Ivins said the agreement to not cut the proposed 33 public safety jobs was reached this weekend after a bitter back and forth ensued with the the first responders stuck in the middle. Instead, city leaders found roughly $800,000 in needed revenue to save the jobs. The proposed budget would, however, eliminate two public works positions and potentially reorganize dispatch services.

With a room of first responders looking on, the city's Mayor, Scott Johnson, made specific mention that he does not support the layoffs, nor has he been advocating for them. He said it was "propaganda used to fuel the fire."

Tuesday's meeting was just the beginning. The budget will be up for a vote on June 16th. There will also be a public hearing on the matter.