The City of Oakland says it will keep open four fire stations rather than temporarily close them in the face of a nearly $130 million budget shortfall.
Three other stations are still “browned out” through June to close the projected budget deficit, the City Administrator’s Office said Friday. They are expected to reopen after the fiscal year ends.
A series of budget cutbacks including a hiring freeze, the cancellation or reduction of city-issued grants, and employee layoffs have reduced the projected gap for the current year, city officials said in a press release.
That was enough to spare four of the seven fire stations previously announced for temporary closure.
“This was made possible by the hard choices and the determined leadership of our mayor and our city council,” City Administrator Jestin Johnson said in the press release.
Fire Stations 25 and 28, both in the Oakland hills, were temporarily closed in January. They will reopen in July as fire risks change. A third station closed for renovation will reopen when the project is complete, officials said.
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