MichiganRadio

Flint's Mayor Renews Calls For Police, Fire Contract Concessions ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) -

Flint mayor Dayne Walling is again urging the city's police and firefighters unions to agree to deep pay and benefits cuts.

Walling made his plea during his State of the City address, carried live online by WJRT-TV this afternoon.

The city of Flint is struggling to reduce an $8 million budget deficit.

Walling says unless Flint's public safety employees agree to the cuts, dozens of city employees will be laid off next month.

"Set a meeting time next week for your members. Go through all the numbers we have shared. Come up with a proposal to meet that 15 percent target per employee. And slip it under the door of the Department of Human Resources," says Walling.

Flint's police and firefighters unions have called the mayor's proposed cuts unreasonable, saying they would amount to a 40 percent compensation cut. © Copyright 2012, Michigan Radio