Niagara Falls residents will have to continue to wait to find out whether they’ll be paying up to $200 more each year for garbage service.

The city’s council tabled a vote Wednesday night on the proposed fee, the second one suggested as a way to help bridge a budget gap in a year.

Niagara Falls has a multi-million-dollar budget gap due to a loss of casino revenue the city has relied on in the past. While an arbiter ruled that the Seneca Nation still owes the city funds for another few years, the Nation has not provided payment to Niagara Falls and the state has stepped in to rectify the situation.

In the meantime, city leaders are discussing some tough decisions they might have to make.

Residents believe taxpayers shouldn’t be held responsible for the city’s lack of financial oversight.

“They’ve gotten themselves in this position, not the taxpayers and we shouldn’t have to pay their way out of it,” said Marcy Reinhold of Niagara Falls.

Reinhold was one of several people who protested the garbage user fee outside the city hall prior to the start of the public hearing.

Another option for the city to address its budget issues is to lay off firefighters and police officers. First responders who attended the hearing said the garbage fee is a small price to pay to uphold public safety.

“If the city doesn’t fund public safety and they have to cut, we won’t have the manpower to respond to calls within the minutes that we need to save lives and to save property,” said Niagara Falls firefighter Jason Cafarella.

Some residents at the hearing told the city council there needs to be another way to solve the problem. Some suggested finding ways to improve the community.

At the end of the public hearing, the city council voted to table their decision on adopting the fees. Most of the council wanted to see the mayor’s budget before making a decision. But one council member wanted to go through with a vote.

“Families make difficult decisions around their kitchen table every night in Niagara Falls, why can't we do that here at the city council,” said Councilman Chris Voccio.

Voccio opposes the user fees and wanted to vote against it at the meeting.

The mayor is expected to present the budget as early as next week.