SAN ANTONIO – Another round of collective bargaining negotiations began Friday as the city and the San Antonio Police Officers Association continued to work out a deal.
Both sides in the police contract negotiations met behind closed doors again, reviewing the latest proposals and counter-proposals.
The two parties remain at odds over how much a new contract might cost taxpayers.
SAPOA officials said their latest offer would be just over 30 percent of the general fund, in sharp contrast to the 71 percent estimated by the city.
"Union leadership members are really good police officers, they are not (certified public accountants)," City Manager Sheryl Sculley said in a statement. "We are not arguing about the numbers. The city's CPAs prepared our numbers."
But SAPOA leadership is standing by its latest offer, saying it is well within the 66 percent cap that city council wants.
Besides a 3 percent fixed sum paid upon the contract's ratification, the union is proposing 3 to 4 percent pay raises starting in 2017 through 2019.
"We will not bargain or be held accountable for any other portion of the public safety budget," union President Mike Helle said in a statement. "Nor will we be forced into a bad deal to meet arbitrary and self-imposed deadlines."
Mayor Ivy Taylor has said that she wants the deal done by July 31.