Saint John Common Council will be asked to pass a tough budget on Monday night.
It calls for $1.25 million in cuts to the Police and Fire departments.
On Friday the Saint John Police Association warns the budget cuts would force the closure of three special policing units with its members back on patrols in what the Association calls reactive not proactive policing.
Mayor Don Darling says the council is also awaiting the arbitration decisions on new contracts for the police and firefighter unions.
Although he says he respects the protective service members immensely, he feels wage increases of 44 and 46 percent over the past ten years with the cost of living in the same time being just 20 percent can’t happen anymore.
The Mayor says the city simply can’t handle any major increases in salaries and if forced to do so, there will be fewer people working for the city of Saint John.
