Cleveland council members take unpaid furloughs to help balance budget

CLEVELAND (AP) — Eighteen of 19 Cleveland City Council members have agreed to help trim a city budget gap by taking 10 unpaid furlough days. That will amount to giving back 4.2 percent, or $3,100, of their annual pay.

The one councilman who balked at the idea instead opted for five furlough days. Council members are paid $74,000 a year.

Council’s 46 employees will take five unpaid furlough days and lose longevity pay, to save the city $180,000.

The deficit has led to the layoff of 66 police officers and 37 firefighters.