THE ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCIL DEADLOCKS ON A MEASURE THAT WOULD GIVE UNION FIREFIGHTERS A 1-AND-A-HALF PERCENT PAY RAISE. WITH COUNCILOR DON HARRIS ABSENT FROM WEDNESDAY’S MEETING, IT WAS FOUR IN FAVOR OF THE BILL AND FOUR AGAINST. THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL REPORTS THOSE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE RAISES WERE COUNCILORS KEN SANCHEZ, PAT DAVIS, CYNTHIA BORREGO AND KLARISSA PENA. AGAINST IT WERE TRUDY JONES, ISAAC BENTON, BRAD WINTER AND DIANE GIBSON.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN A THREE PERCENT PAY HIKE, BUT AN UNDERSTANDING WAS REACHED TO REDUCE THAT TO 1-AND-A-HALF PERCENT DUE TO THE BUDGET DEFICIT IN ALBUQUERQUE.
THE COUNCIL IS SAID TO BE PURSUING A DIFFERENT PATH FOR THE PAY INCREASES NOW.
