ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The city of Elmira's financial distress has leaders looking to cut costs. They said more than $1 million can be saved if police, fire, and CSEA union workers move their health care to the county plan.
"We're asking for their help to help keep us solvent and they refuse," said Mayor Sue Skidmore, Elmira. "So what happens in the future? It's grim."
The city said the proposed change in health care plans brings comparable benefits and small changes in co-pay and deductible. Officials said the city is willing to pay the difference but the police union is unwilling to accept.
"Their return offer refused that but asked for other, additional benefits, so we're still going to negotiate with them," Skidmore said. "No decisions have been made."
Police union leaders said they're continuing discussions, but are under no obligation to do so. The current police collective bargaining agreement runs through 2017. Leaders said they've worked hard for that agreement and made other sacrifices to reach it.
"They've given up salaries, they've given up a number of other things in order to keep the quality insurance and for us to just give it up one year after signing a contract is frustrating," Elmira PBA President Yuri Charlanow said.
Looming over the talks is what happens if an agreement can't be reached. The city may have to turn to layoffs to cut costs.
"Anything is possible," Skidmore said. "What has been described in our research, it would not affect the amount of people that are out on the streets, it wouldn't affect patrols."
"With layoffs, we lose our detective bureau and we lose our drug unit," Charlanow said. "As far as I'm concerned, that should not be an option, shouldn't even be considered, and for them to consider that and throw it around as loosely as they do, that's shocking to me."
The sides said despite their frustrations, negotiations will continue.