CAPE CORAL, Fla. - Anger and frustration boiled over at Cape Coral's budget meeting Tuesday night.

City leaders voted to move forward with a potential pay cut for 1,500 city workers.

After the outcry from people at the meeting, the man who ignited the controversy sits down with WINK News.

City Manager Gary King is at the center of the storm.

"I think there was a lot of passion being expressed I can understand that. I thought we could have had a little more decorum in the room," King said about his reaction to

King proposed the pay cuts as part of an alternative budget as the best way to avoid layoffs and not impact city services.

He says the majority of the city councilors were against using reserve funds to fill the budget's gap.

As a result, he went to the drawing board and re-worked the city's budget.

He says pay cuts would eliminate the need to use reserve funds and possible layoffs.

"I would like to the think the employees would recognize the fact that we are doing everything we can to save jobs."

Cape Firefighter Union President, Mark Muerth has been in contract negotiations with the city for the past 9 months.

He says the pay cuts came out of no where and damage the union's relationship with the city.

"I think trust has been broken between city and employees at this point. That's the main the issue. You can't sit their an hold out an olive branch and slap us in the face at the same time," Muerth said.

He say the cuts would be bad for employee morale and might be rejected by the union.

If the cuts are rejected that could lead to layoffs.

"I don't see how you can continue to work with your employees and say one thing but do another. Do I think my membership will be open to it? Absolutely not," Muerth said.

Adding more fuel to the fire, Muerth says Gary King gets incentive pay.

"They are not creating an environment that's good for employees," he said.

King stands to gain $3,500 bucks if he keeps part of the budget in check.

This includes rolling back or maintaining the current utility rates, which he will get $2,500 dollars for.

Also, keeping the millage rate the same.

He gets $1,000 for that.

King says he's not sacrificing employee salaries to pad his own.

"Even with my bonuses that are in my contract if I achieve all of them, I would still make less than the prior administration," King said.

He maintains: his gain, is also the city's gain.

"We have to work together and that means concessions and compromises," he said.

The next public hearing on the Cape's budget is September 21st.

That's also when council will vote on it.