The Associated Press
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The city’s police and firefighter associations planned to file a lawsuit Thursday against Cleveland in a bid to block the layoffs of hundreds of city workers, the president of the police union said.
The more than 700 layoffs, effective Friday, include 260 police officers, 150 firefighters and 20 paramedics and are meant to close a $61 million deficit.
“We’re hoping that we’ll be able to present a case to a reasonable mind in common pleas court and prevent the layoffs,” said Bob Beck, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolman’s Association.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Jane Campbell said the mayor planned to release a statement on the lawsuit later in the day.
Meanwhile, seven city council members will head to Nashville, Tenn., for a national convention on Tuesday, four days after the city lays off the workers.
The five-day trip by council members and Clerk of Council Valarie McCall to the annual National League of Cities conference will cost the city about $12,000.
Council members will have airfare, hotel and conference registration paid by the city but must pay for meals and other expenses.
Maxine Greer, spokeswoman for the 21-member council, defended the decision to attend the conference. “This was paid for in July, long before the budget crisis came up,” she said.
She said the council members would lobby for federal aid and for bringing a convention to Cleveland and will make a presentation for a group planning a meeting in the city.
Greer said the council has cut its budget by a combined $850,000 for this year and 2004 by cutting supplies and leaving vacancies unfilled.