FORT MYERS, Fla. - Nearly 70 jobs are gone in the city of Fort Myers. The cuts came Wednesday night, as the city council approved its budget for the next year.

The cuts include 64 full-time jobs and 5 part-time positions. Six police jobs are being reallocated to be paid for by grants, but the Fort Myers Fire Department couldn't escape the chopping block.

"It's tearing our department apart," said Assistant Chief Trenton Bowen.

20 jobs are being cut in the department, including 17 active firefighters, who will be out of work in just days. Those on the chopping block knew their possible fate, and many were in attendance at the city council meeting, some leaving city hall in tears after the vote.

"It's almost one-third, its almost a whole shift. We're shutting down apparatus, we're going to have to pick and choose some calls."

Council member Tom Leonardo suggested saving money, and firefighters jobs, by opting out of certain contracts with other fire agencies, but the fire chief says that's not possible.

"Those agreements are for areas that the city fire stations aren't close to, so those aren't agreements we can easily get out of," said Fire Chief Kenneth Dobson.

Council members and the mayor did try to start from the top, with six of the seven members agreeing to a five-percent voluntary reduction in their own salaries.

"We're asking the union employees (and) non-union employees to contribute 3 percent. It's important for us to set the example," said Mayor Jim Humprhey.

But some on the council say more could have been done. Councilman Warren Wright says the city dipped too heavily into its reserves, leaving them at their lowest levels in years.

"We didn't make any serious cuts, we spent a lot of time worrying about legislative aides and our own salaries, we didn't get down to the real nitty-gritty," Wright said.

Despite this vote, the city will still start the new budget year already $12 million dollars in the hole, leaving plenty of work for the next council.

"It was not the smoothest process, we need to work on that for 2010, 2011," said current city council member and mayor-elect Randy Henderson.

The council did reverse itself on the issue of their own office assistants; they'll be trimmed from six to three after a six-month transition period.

As for the voluntary pay reductions, the city manager says even if he and the entire council did so, it would only result in about $22,000 in savings.

The council also approved an increased millage rate for the city, or the rate that determines your property taxes; however, city staff says with property values plummeting, most homeowners will actually see a decrease in their tax bill.