Mayor clashes with City Council over budget

CHAVEZ STRIKES BACK AGAINST THE CITY COUNCIL S BUDGET EARLIER THIS MONTH — THE CITY COUNCIL TOSSED OUT THE MAYOR S PROPOSED BUDGET AND APPROVED AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN — WHICH DIDN T SIT WELL WITH CHAVEZ CRIS ORNELAS IS LIVE AT CITY HALL WITH WHAT THE MAYOR IS SAYING THE MAYOR SAYS THE COUNCIL WENT TOO FAR WHEN IT CUT MONEY FOR ABOUT A HUNDRED CITY-FUNDED POSITIONS HE SAYS THE COUNCIL OVER- STEPPED ITS AUTHORITY BY TRYING TO MAKE PERSONNEL DECISIONS MAYOR CHAVEZ SAYS ONLY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH — HIS OFFICE — HAS THAT POWER HE S ALSO ANGRY THE COUNCIL CUT MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE FIREFIGHTER ACADEMY COUNCIL ARGUED THAT THE BUDGET FOR THE ACADEMY HAS BALLOONED OUT OF CONTROL BUT CHAVEZ SAY THE MONEY IS FOR VITAL TRAINING TOOLS CHAVEZ SAYS HE WILL FIGHT TO PRESERVE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY it does rankle me when they send a budget that is not balanced when they try to impose layoffs when they are not necessary and when they make direct cuts to public safety and then say they are all about basic services WE PUT A CALL IN TO COUNCILOR MICHAEL CADIGAN HE PROPOSED THE BUDGET PLAN WHICH THE COUNCIL ENDED UP UNANIMOUSLY APPROVING SO FAR WE HAVEN T HEARD BACK THE MAYOR SAYS HE LL STILL SIGN THE BUDGET — BUT WILL IGNORE PARTS HE DOESN T LIKE A HOMELESS MAN IS ACCUSED OF