Government Digest

Labor unions, city clash
TAMPA — According to a statement from Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, the city has reached an impasse with all three labor unions on fiscal year 2010 contracts. The unions represent police officers, firefighters and all city employees. The mayor cites “financial challenges,” the recession and a budget deficit for being unable to come to terms with the unions.
Iorio notes that this will be the third consecutive year that workforce cutbacks are needed to balance the budget. She says, “The City simply cannot afford to provide pay raises to any of our employees this upcoming fiscal year.”

The mayor intends to present a balanced budget to the city council Aug. 6 that does not provide for pay increases.

City manager after county job
LEE COUNTY — Cape Coral's city manager for the past seven years, Terry Stewart, has thrown his hat in the ring for the Lee County manager's position. The position has been open since April when Don Stilwell resigned over a scandal tied to explicit e-mails sent from his work computer.