There is a sharp disagreement between Stamford Board of Finance senior Republican Joseph Tarzia and Mayor Dan Malloy in regards to the tough Stamford Police Union talks aimed at preventing layoff's. Tarzia, is one of two Republicans on the Board of Finance which totals six. Speaking for himself, Tarzia blames the difficulty of the police union and the cities budget negotiaions not against the Board, but at the feet of Democratic Mayor Dan Malloy whom he says "did not negotiate the way he should have"; Tarzia is referring to a raise to $70 dollars an hour last year for officers extra work, a three percent increase in salary for police this year adding further that some senior some officers were compensated close to $300,000 over the past 12 month's.

In response, Mayor Malloy feels that Mr.Tarzia's view on the police union talks are skewed due to his own three percent salary increase and that the mayor has been visionary in attempting to set all municipal union negotiations for next year and a new mayor, creating greater budgetary savings for Stamford in the future. Malloy feels that Tarzia has now insured that won't happen.