Miami police voted overwhelmingly Monday in favor of a host of concessions that would fulfill their end in helping Miami commissioners set the city's $511.4 million budget.

Fraternal Order of Police members voted 512-62 to defer a 3 percent pay raise -- due in October -- for six months. They will also give up new uniforms, physicals and the cashing in of unused vacation time for at least a year.

The concessions could save Miami close to $9 million, a long way toward the commission's attempt to fill a $118 million hole. Voting against the plan could have meant the department losing 177 positions -- including up to 106 sworn-in, working police officers.

``We're extremely happy with the fact that I think it was a fair deal on both sides,'' said Armando Aguilar, president of the police union.

The vote should end the lengthy and sometimes tense negotiations between the city and union.

Earlier this month, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz forwarded his budget proposal to commissioners with a $118 million gap. His plan called for the city's three main unions to give in to about $28 million worth of concessions -- or face the loss of 500 jobs. There are 3,500 people in the city workforce.

Diaz proposed filling the remaining gap of $90 million through tiered salary reductions for non-union members, department cuts and some layoffs. A hiring and purchasing freeze has been in place since mid-summer, and car allowances and city cellphones have been reduced or taken away.

BAILING OUT

Police union president Aguilar's biggest gripe with the proposal was that it would force salary cuts for police officers, elevating the risk that officers would leave the city and lessening the incentive for new officers to join the department. ``We were being asked to bail out politicians who spent too much money,'' Aguilar said on Monday.

The city commission could have voted to lay off the union employees last Thursday. Instead, they decided to hold the final vote until Tuesday in order to give union officials more time to strike deals with the city.

The International Association of Firefighters has made a tentative agreement that includes slashing salaries and giving up a pay raise in October, which would save the city more than $10 million. Its 600 members are expected to vote Tuesday.

And Miami's American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees -- with a workforce of nearly 2,000 that fill civilian positions in police and fire, and serve mainly in public works and parks -- also has a tentative agreement in place. It includes a temporary early-retirement plan that could save the city about $8 million.

MAIN TARGET

But police have been the main target of the administration, especially Mayor Diaz, who has feuded publicly with Aguilar. Two weeks ago, City Manager Pete Hernandez and Police Chief John Timoney sent out letters to more than 130 sworn officers thanking them for their service. The letter stated their jobs would be lost if an agreement wasn't made by month's end.

Hundreds of officers on Thursday filled commission chambers to argue against layoffs or cuts. During the meeting, Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones ordered the city manager and Aguilar to a back room to work out a settlement. Spence-Jones implored Aguilar to ``dig deeper, man.''