The Oswego Common Council voted unanimously tonight to approve the 2017 budget that will eliminate 16 full-time firefighter positions and raise taxes by 1.97 percent.
A public hearing, which was held before the vote, drew a standing-room-only crowd to City Hall. People packed the chambers and the hallway, but only four people spoke against the budget.
The council voted 7 to 0 to approve a $47,565,037 budget for next year. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow unveiled his proposed budget earlier this month and drew criticism from fire department leadership and community members who opposed eliminating the 16 positions from the city's payroll. One police lieutenant was also cut.