Fire union questions city deficit

DOWNTOWN TOLEDO - Toledo Firefighters Local 92 union officials  are questioning if the city's $20 million budget deficit is as high as it has been reported by Mayor Carty Finkbeiner.

Union president Capt. Jim Martin and his union posted a new message on the hall's billboard, located on the corner of Erie and Washington street downtown. It reads "Professor Black and Smirnov lose data used to project budget."

The message was posted after the Toledo Police Patrolman's Association and Local 92 unions say they were bullied by the Finkbeiner administration in contract negotiations.

Capt. Martin and his union has requested a research and data used to figure out a Toledo's exact deficit, and the request was denied.

Martin believes the city administration may be lying about the nearly $21 million deficit.

Two weeks ago TPPA's fact finder subpoenaed research from two economic professors at the University of Toledo - associate professor Dr. David Black and assistant professor Dr. Oleg Smirnov.

"I don't know how many professors delete their research on a project of this magnitude."

According to Capt. Martin, when served the subpoena, the professors said they no longer had the research they used to come up with the figure.

He said the city is asking for concessions like cuts in pay and benefits but the unions want proof that the city needs those concessions.

"Just because someone stands up and says they sky is falling and causes all this panic and an urgency that isn't there ... we need to verify it," he said.

Councilman George Sarantou said he doesn't know about the issues with the subpoena, but stands behind the professors' projected budget deficit.

"We have checked, double-checked, and triple-checked the facts and figures of the city of Toledo," Councilman Sarantou said. "I feel we're on firm ground with these two professors and with the results we've been given."

Dr. Black told FOX Toledo News on tuesday that some of the firefighter's union requests were unreasonable and their claims are simply not true or factual. Dr. Black also said Dr. Smirnov will be submitting a written testimony to TPPA's fact finder in the coming week.