Firefighters, Police Will Support Income Tax Increase

10 TV: Unions representing Columbus' police officers and firefighters agreed Wednesday evening to endorse the city's proposed income tax increase. Firefighters voted unanimously to support the tax hike, while some police officers grumbled about the city's spending priorities…

The city hopes to raise the income tax rate from 2 percent to 2.5 percent. A special election to decide the issue will be held on Aug. 4. City leaders have said that an income tax increase is the only way to fend off hundreds of job cuts, including hundreds of police officers and firefighters.

For firefighters, it is the second time that Mayor Michael Coleman's administration has sought their support on a budget issue. Earlier this year, the firefighter's union was the first to adhere to Coleman's request that all unions forgo pay raises… Jack Reall, president of the firefighter's union, said that firefighters were backing the tax hike despite lingering resentment over previous contract concessions given in return for a promise from Coleman to avoid any layoffs.

"Our ability to do that has been forgotten very quickly and we continue to take attacks," Reall said. "You sit there and ask us to support an income tax increase while you're telling us you're going to civilianize our jobs and cut our pay and benefits and things that are not compatible with each other."

The fire department said that if the income tax increase fails and cuts are made, emergency response time will be longer because of a reduction in manpower. Jim Gilbert, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, also worried about response time if police officers were cut. He said members were frustrated at political infighting that has kept the city and union from reaching a contract agreement, but stressed that the main issue was public safety. "I think a tax increase has been needed for years, (but) they should have been done years ago," Gilbert said.

If approved, the income tax increase would cost people an additional $50 for every $10,000 in income, Landers reported. The city said the increase would generate an extra $90 million a year.