Prop B Tit-For-Tat Continues Between Mayor, Firefighters

HOUSTON — The fight between Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston Professional Firefighters Association over implementing Proposition B raged on this week, with both side engaging in a public tit-for-tat.

On Wednesday, Turner sent a letter to Houston Professional Firefighters Association President Patrick "Marty" Lancton, which proposed implementing Prop B over a span five year to avoid the potential of firefighter layoffs.

"Spreading the costs would be in the best interest of all Houstonians," Turner said in his letter.

Prop B, which gives Houston Firefighters a 29 percent increase in pay and benefits, was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November to bring bring pay parity between firefighters and police.

However, Turner says implementing the plan would cause a significant financial strain on all Houstonians and would result in layoffs of firefighters and in other city departments.

Lancton responded to Turner's letter, indicating that the mayor's proposal only offered a portion of the pay and benefits approved by voters in the November election, and asked for a better explanation in writing.

Lancton then chided Turner on his threat last week to layoff an estimated 500 firefighters to implement Prop B.

"Firefighter layoffs are unnecessary. They were unnecessary during the HPD raises. They are unnecessary now. When you gut HFD from within with yet more budget and personnel cuts, you alone will be responsible for the consequences of diminished public safety services and for the loss of Houston-trained, taxpayer-funded firefighters. Please be prepared to explain why you recently hired hundreds of police and municipal employees yet you insist on terminating firefighter jobs," Lancton said in his letter.

The same day, Houston Professional Firefighters Association filed a motion for summary judgment asking a judge to end the legal battle between the city and the Houston Professional Firefighters Association.

"The City is in the process of implementing Prop B with checks scheduled to be issued in May in order to balance the budget by the end of June. The implementation of Prop B will force layoffs and a reduction of services," Turner said in a letter Thursday.

Turner reiterated that the city hopes to avoid layoffs while implementing Prop B, but it can't be done by paying firefighters in a lump sum.

"The motion for summary judgment filed today by the firefighters' union makes it clear the union has no intention of, and had no intention of, negotiating anything," Turner said in his letter. "It is demanding payment regardless of the consequences on municipal employees, less senior firefighters and the City as a whole. That is unfortunate.

"Please bear in mind, Prop B came with no funding source and the City is honoring the will of the voters."

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