The Española City Council sacrificed the hope of filling two
of several police officer vacancies in a push to avoid employee furloughs.
A $439,334 package of budget cuts presented to the Council Tuesday night proposed, among other measures, cutting two hours from the workweek and 5 percent from the paychecks of all city employees except police officers, firefighters and jail guards. Late into the three-hour meeting, however, District 1 Councilor Danielle Duran asked whether the city could forgo the furloughs and instead cut two vacant spots from the Police Department budget.
“I used to be a dreamer that we could fill all our vacant positions, but now, being realistic, we probably won’t,” Public Safety Chief Julian Gonzales said.
Forging an unlikely political alliance with Duran, Mayor Pro Tem Alice Lucero jumped on the idea, followed by Councilors Dennis Tim Salazar and Helen Kain-Salazar. Mayor Joseph Maestas dissented, along with Councilors Alfred Herrera and Cecilia Lujan.
“We ought not to concede being able to fill these positions,” a visibly frustrated Maestas said. “I understand that, being realistic, our wages and incentives are not adequate. But what I want to see is a plan to fully staff our (Police) Department.”
Furious business owners at Jan. 11 and Jan. 20 meetings hammered city officials for a rash of burglaries and inadequate police protection. The budget discussion Tuesday came after Gonzales outlined the city’s response to the problem, which would be funded by money saved from police vacancies.
“I don’t want any furloughs,” Duran said. “If we’re talking about filling that many positions, we should’ve done that three years ago.”
Councilor Eddie Maestas chimed in, saying he has opposed the furloughs all along. Eddie Maestas, Lujan and Duran are seeking re-election in the March 2 elections. Lucero and Herrera are running for mayor.
After the Council in the end voted unanimously to approve most of the cuts, but axe the furloughs and explore making up the $79,421 difference by cutting the police vacancies, employees clapped and Lucero shared a grin with union president Joaquin Maestas.
See a summary of the budget cuts at www.riograndesun.com.