Phoenix Vice Mayor Waring upset over police pay cut
May 8, 2014, 5:52 PM | Updated: 5:52 pm
The Phoenix City Council voted Wednesday night to slash the pay of police officers to help the city climb out of a $37 million budget deficit.
One council member who voted against the plan is pretty upset.
“Last night’s city council meeting was just the strangest meeting that I’ve seen in public life,” Phoenix Vice Mayor Jim Waring said of the 5-4 decision. “No member of this city council can ever make fun of the state legislature again.”
Waring is especially baffled by the actions of Councilwoman Kate Gallego.
“There was a motion last night that would have saved the police officers’ pay cut,” Waring said. “Councilman Sal DiCiccio and I voted for it. Curiously, the maker of the motion, Councilwoman Gallego, did not vote for it.
“I don’t know why you would make a motion, and then not vote for your own motion.”
Gallego has been unavailable for comment.
Waring says that instead of cutting police pay, it would have made more sense to slash funding for poetry programs, golf courses and travel.
