AUSTIN, Texas - A vote by the Austin Police Association concerns some Austin City Council members, as it puts contract talks on hold for several months.

A slew of incentives are set to end Dec. 29 after union members voted 92-8 "to not return to the table to continue negotiations for lower compensation and higher oversight," a news release from the association said.

The ballot question refers to statements by several Austin City Council members, including Jimmy Flannigan of Northwest Austin District 6, that the proposed five-year contract was unaffordable.

"That is a curious outcome," Flannigan said of the question posed by the union to its 1,780 members.

Flannigan made the motion that effectively rejected the proposed contract, while exhausting the extensions of the existing contract through March 22, 2018. He said that was an effort to bring assurance to the city's entire police force that operations would remain status quo while negotiations ensue.

"The number-one thing I wanted to prevent was any front line officer - any first responder - feeling like they are not going to make their mortgage payment in January," Flannigan said. "There's no Council Member that wants that scenario to happen. Unfortunately, the union is putting us and their own officers in that position."

After next Friday, all incentive pay provisions will end. That provides officers with additional training and skills - like SWAT, a college degree or foreign language- to receive additional income.

"The message that was sent a few weeks ago was they just want a total reboot our contract," said Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday. "We will start over from ground zero and build it back up."

Flannigan and several other Council Members said at the Dec. 13 meeting that they simply couldn't find the money to add the police that Austin needs and keep the perks in place. An independent consultant recommends the city immediately create 144 additional officers; the police union said they need at least 350.

"The data that we were seeing showed that we couldn't bring in 144 and also not max out your tax rate every year for the next four years," Flannigan said.

Casaday said City Council shouldn't be surprised by the contract's cost.

"City Council had their representatives in our bargaining," he said. "They had people from their staffs sit in."

Flannigan replied, "Unfortunately there is a disconnect between what the community is telling the Council and what was negotiated at the table."

Flannigan said the city's chief negotiator died during the process, which further complicated the process. Casaday said the union will not negotiate until incoming City Manager Spencer Cronk has established himself in his new role and familiarized himself with Austin.

Cronk is expected to start no sooner than mid-February.