By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – Buffalo's mayor says the city can afford wage hikes for 2,000 employees, but not for the school district. Mayor Byron Brown insists that the city will have the money to pay for full step wage increases and longevity for employees.
Brown wants legislation to provide full increases workers lost the past three years during the wage freeze. But to do that the, state must approve a plan that would cut off the school district from those full step increases.
Brown says it would cost the city $2.2 million for one year to cover all the step increases and longevity. But the Mayor says the city can not afford to cover the cost for the school district. He says if they district was included in those wage steps it would cost more than $20 million.
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