NEWBURGH – As Newburgh officials attempt to whittle down a multi-million deficit in its 2011 budget, paid firefighters Monday said they are willing to give back $948,000 in concessions as their part in helping to close the funding gap.

But, officials of Local 589 of the International Association of Firefighters, which represents the all-paid fire department in the city, said the city won’t accept anything less than $1.1 million in cuts in the department.

“Local 589 was prepared to recommend substantial salary cuts, overtime cost reductions, scheduling changes over the next two years to avoid laying off 12 city firefighters and a total of five demotions, approximately 22 percent of the fire department,” said union President Ed Diller.

If the city does not accept the union’s proposal, officials are looking at shutting down the West End Firehouse on Upper Broadway. That would double or triple the response time to that end of Newburgh, an area where there are schools, daycare centers and senior housing, Diller said.