A day after Miami's Police Union voted to spearhead a campaign to recall Mayor Tomas Regalado, the city's firefighters union is set to hold their own vote on the issue.
Members of the Miami Association of Firefighters, Local 587, will take a vote during a meeting Wednesday night, according to a letter from union president Robert Suarez.
"As you all know well by now, Mayor Tomas Regalado has led this City into financial ruin with less than 2 years in office," Suarez wrote. "He has time and time again made reckless decisions that have pushed our City to the brink of bankruptcy."
On Tuesday, the city's Fraternal Order of Police voted by a 432-16 margin to support the recall push.
Both unions are upset over what they claim is financial mismanagement by Regalado, compounded by salary cuts and the city leaving open positions unfilled.
"The employees have been used as scapegoats too many times," Suarez wrote.
Regalado responded to the recall push in a statement Tuesday evening, saying he was "doing all I can to move Miami forward, and at the same time, respect everyone."
"The goal of this administration is to balance the budget, get the city's fiscal house in order and create jobs without raising taxes," the statement read. "That is what taxpayers asked me to do, and that is what I am doing."
A spokesman from Regalado's office said they wouldn't be commenting on Wednesday's vote.
The police and fire departments have both seen salary cuts over the past couple years. In the mayor's proposed 2012 budget, Regalado suggests keeping open nearly 400 vacant city positions, including more than 60 in the police department. That's on top of a proposed 22-day mandatory furlough for all city employees.
Regalado has suggested furloughs and unfilled positions would save the city close to $30 million. But he says it's only a proposal and that it could all change as city leaders work to find other ways to make cuts.
"The people of Miami understand that times are difficult and revenue is scarce," he said in the statement, citing jobs being created by two upcoming construction projects in Brickell as signs of economic progress.
Both Suarez and FOP President Armando Aguilar said they think voters are frustrated with the job Regalado's done.
"We know Miami's residents join us in our disgust for how this City is being run and we must give them an opportunity to help us in this effort," Suarez said.
