Angelique Ashby is a Natomas neighborhood activist who views public safety as the city's top priority. Ashby, who is running for Sacramento City Council, has the support of two major local public safety unions: the Sacramento Police Officers Association and Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522. The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June election. Ashby is running for City Council in District 1, which is now represented by Councilman Ray Tretheway. The district includes the neighborhoods of North and South Natomas and Alkali Flat. The 20-year Sacramento resident is a partner in a consulting firm that contracts with businesses and government age

The Sacramento City Council is about 99 percent sure that no firefighters will be laid off this week. The local firefighters’ union and city officials reached a breakthrough in negotiations Wednesday and have made a tentative agreement to not lay off 68 firefighters. The last step will be for Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 members to vote on the agreement this week. It is likely that Local 522 members will vote in favor of the agreement because they proposed it to city officials. While dozens of firefighter jobs are likely to be saved, about 180 city workers in other departments still face layoffs on Thursday, according to Assistant City Manager Gus Vina. Several councilmembers

I’ve learned a few lessons recently about how and why local government budgets don’t make sense. Over the past month, I’ve reported on the city budget and asked government officials and union representatives many questions about financial figures and numbers of layoffs. While the officials answered my questions, some budget figures remained nonsensical. I would like to share with The Sacramento Press' readers the following Guide to Local Government Budget Madness. Rule #1: The number of “positions” being removed is not the number of “people” being laid off. Back in May, city officials wrote that that they would cut 387 positions. The budget document said that cuts included the “unfunding

City managers and the local firefighters’ union have widely different views of the most recent failed proposal for the firefighters’ contract. The Sacramento Press readers can join the debate by reading official memos from the recent contract proposal here. Contract negotiations between Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 and city officials failed earlier this week. After the most recent deal flopped, the City Council decided to move ahead with its budget cut to fire 68 firefighters. The last day of the work for the 68 firefighters is July 2, and they will be paid through July 3, according to acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson. The union points out that the firefighters will b

Local firefighters are now saying they will sue the city, a day after the City Council decided to lay off 68 firefighters. The firefighters’ union, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522, sent out a press release Wednesday alleging that city officials have engaged in “unfair bargaining practices.” The city has "not received or been served with any litigation documents," said acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson. " Until such time [that] we are and they are reviewed by the City Attorney we are unable to comment." Local 522 firefighter and spokesman Chris Harvey expressed frustration with the city’s decision to throw out the latest tentative deal between the two parties. The most r

 A total of 68 firefighters are scheduled to be laid off during the first week of July, assistant city manager Gus Vina said on Tuesday. Mayor Kevin Johnson told reporters Tuesday that the Sacramento City Council did not accept the latest tentative deal with Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. Since the firefighters and city managers did not reach a labor agreement, the city plans to go through with its plan to lay off 68 firefighters. The firefighter layoffs are part of the city's budget cuts. "This is a setback, but the world doesn't stop here," Johnson told reporters Tuesday night. The city also did not arrive at a deal with Stationary Engineers Local 39, according to Vina. This

Labor negotiations between the firefighters’ union and the city have gone downhill fast. The firefighters’ union, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522, sent out press releases to media outlets Wednesday that said the union was going to “explore legal options” in its dispute with city management. The firefighters and city managers are engaging in controversial negotiations because city officials are planning to lay off firefighters if the union does not make concessions. Firefighter and union spokesman Chris Harvey said Tuesday that 41 firefighters may lose their jobs. The City Council approved its budget Tuesday, closing a gap of more than $43 million. “We now must explore all legal a

The City Council has changed its original plan to lay off 168 workers Friday, and now layoffs are expected to take place in about two weeks, according to acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson. The number of layoffs is in flux and may soon change depending on negotiations with five city unions. On Tuesday, the city adopted its 2009/2010 fiscal year budget and closed out a gap of more than $43 million. The budget that was approved comes with major cuts to city services. Changes to the budget will be amendments because the budget has been adopted. City officials continued to say Tuesday that many cuts and layoffs could be averted if the unions make concessions. Negotiations between

The Sacramento City Council’s unanimous approval of Sacramento’s budget Tuesday means that city services could face major cuts and that the last day of work for 168 city employees is Friday. While the council adopted the budget, the situation may soon change because some of the city’s key unions, including its firefighters’ union, have not yet finished negotiations with the city. Sacramento has balanced its budget and closed a gap of more than $43 million. City officials continued to say Tuesday that many cuts and layoffs could be averted if the unions make concessions. Since the budget has now been approved, any changes to the budget would be amendments. Of the 168 layoffs approved with

City management was not yet ready to comment at 5 p.m. Monday on the local firefighters’ union's latest proposal on pay and layoffs. Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 has pitched a new proposal to put salary increases on hold for the next 30 months if the city will guarantee no layoffs throughout that period of time, said Local 522 spokeswoman Robin Swanson. Swanson described the proposal as “inherently fair" and said it would bring more than $10 million in savings to the city. Acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson did not have an update Monday afternoon on the city’s reaction to the union’s proposal. City managers and firefighters resumed negotiations after firefighters vot

City Distributes 168 Pink Slips Many city employees learned last week that their last day of work may be June 19. The city distributed 168 pink slips Monday, June 2. The 168 figure is not set in stone. City officials said fewer people may be laid off if unions make concessions. The city is dealing with a budget deficit in excess of $43 million. Firefighters Nix Labor Agreement with City City managers and the local firefighters’ union both said Friday they are willing to head back to the bargaining table after firefighters voted down a labor deal last week. The city’s decision to distribute layoff notices to firefighters is a key dispute between city management and Sacramento Area Fire

The local firefighters’ union Friday scrapped a deal with city management that would have cut firefighters' salary increases and maintained jobs. Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 is attributing the failure of the deal to the city’s decision to send layoff notices to firefighters earlier this week. Meanwhile, the city is saying that it was straightforward in its negotiations with the union. The city, which is facing a deficit of more than $43 million, plans to lay off 68 people in the Sacramento Fire Department if the union does not make concessions. Both sides said Friday that they are ready to start negotiations again. Local 522 spokesperson Robin Swanson said firefighters are wi

 The local firefighters’ union may complete its contract negotiations with the city next week, according to Chris Harvey, spokesman for Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. The union is still confident it will be able to reach an agreement with the city “that’s beneficial to the citizens of Sacramento, as well as the firefighters,” Harvey said. Gus Vina, the Sacramento assistant city manager negotiating with the union, was not available to immediately return a phone call Thursday. The city’s $50 million deficit would be resolved through cuts in the proposed budget. The fire department would face cuts of 50 positions and $5 million, the budget document states. Vina has said that the p

City management will still need to lay off staff even if all of its unions make concessions, according to the city’s finance director. Sacramento Finance Director Leyne Milstein said she could not say how many layoffs would be needed if all the unions make concessions. That’s because the City Council will make the final decisions on cuts to services and programs, Milstein said. Concessions from the unions will not create enough savings to avoid layoffs, Milstein said. The city’s proposed budget aims to resolve a $50 million deficit. If the unions do not make concessions, city management plans to lay off 189 city employees. At its May 19 meeting, the City Council will address the propo

A city official said Tuesday he was optimistic about current efforts to save Sacramento $5 million and 50 jobs through negotiations with the local firefighters’ union. Gus Vina, a Sacramento assistant city manager, said the city is currently in talks with the Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. The city government is trying to convince the firefighters’ union to give up pay increases scheduled for July. Vina said the city and the firefighters’ union are engaged in “very productive” discussions. If the firefighters’ union does not give up its pay increases, Vina said the city will need to lay off 50 department employees. The positions could come from any of the following types of fi