The Denver City Council this evening granted initial approval to temporarily eliminating the employee bonus program this year and capping merit raises at 2.25 percent.
Mayor John Hickenlooper asked the council to take the move as part of his effort to close a projected $56 million budget gap for spending in 2009.
The issue will come up for a final council vote on Feb. 2. By eliminating bonuses and limiting merit raises, the city would save $9.9 million, according to estimates from the Hickenlooper administration.
The move only affects those city employees who aren’t in the public safety sector. But the administration also is asking firefighters, police officers and sheriff’s to accept cuts.
The administration has asked the three unions representing the safety workers to reduce their negotiated contracts by 2 percent less than what was originally negotiated. Doing so would save the city $4.9 million, according to the administration. The unions are still studying the request.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
