TAMPA - Some city council members want to put some muscle behind defeating January's referendum on a homestead superexemption.

At a recent city council budget workshop, Councilwoman Mary Mulhern suggested that the police and firefighter unions work to persuade residents to vote against the measure.

Mulhern said she wants to turn to the unions to lobby against the referendum. 'We need to get that message out to the voters.'

The January referendum could have devastating effects on local government, she said, and perhaps the unions could get involved to encourage people to vote 'no.'

In January, voters will decide whether to support a constitutional amendment creating a homestead superexemption.

The superexemption would reduce the taxable value of homes, meaning less money for local government. The amendment must pass with 60 percent of the vote.

At the council's budget workshop, Police Chief Stephen Hogue warned that he might have to lay off sworn personnel if the referendum passes.

Mulhern thinks the police and firefighter unions - and perhaps local labor unions - might want to get involved and even launch an advertising campaign.

'We sit there trying to figure out how to pay for everything,' Mulhern said after the workshop.

'I'm just seeing this coming through without any sort of concerted campaign to say we don't want this,' she said.

Mulhern said she doesn't want taxpayer money used for the effort.

Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena likes Mulhern's idea.

'I would anticipate they might go door to door with literature about that and advertise their position,' Saul-Sena said.

The firefighters union hasn't decided whether to campaign against the referendum.

'It's too early to say right now,' President Larry Parker said.

'We'll look at it when we get done with contract negotiations and see what kind of posture we're going to take,' he said.

The police union was decisive: They're not interested.

'It's nothing that the police union is going to entertain,' said Kevin Durkin, president of the Police Benevolent Association.

'If it's going to referendum, it's going to referendum,' he said. 'We're not going to make a push for it or against it.'

He said the union is willing to talk with the council, but he wants to leave the matter in the hands of voters.

'Look at the pure politics of it,' he said. 'There's no political gain to taking any position on it.'

Residents who want property tax relief might not want their police and firefighters to campaign against the effort.

Mayor Pam Iorio has said she has no plans to launch any sort of campaign for or against the referendum. She said the matter is up to the voters.

Councilman John Dingfelder suggests the council should consider passing a resolution opposing the referendum to 'at least let the community know where the council stands.'

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.