HOUSTON – Dozens of Houston municipal workers were issued a 60-day layoff notice on Friday due to the city's implementation of Prop B.
The employees work in the city's Parks and Recreation, Library, Administration and Regulatory Affairs and Health departments.
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"There are 47 municipal employees who have been working for years," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said.
Turner said Prop B, the Houston Fire Department firefighter pay parity proposition that passed overwhelmingly last November but has yet to be implemented, is to blame for the lost jobs.
"As you know, Prop B passed without a funding mechanism attached," Turner said.
The city said Prop B came without a funding source and adds an annual obligation of $80 million to $100 million to the city’s bottom line. At the same time, the city said it is experiencing a $117 million budget gap.
By law, the city must balance its budget before the start of the next fiscal year, which is July 1.
Earlier Friday, Turner met with Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, to attempt to reach a phase-in agreement for Prop B. A phase-in would be the best-case scenario for the city and would eliminate the need for layoffs.
Another meeting is planned for early next week.