The city of Hollywood wants its citizens to vote on changing pension benefits for union workers as it faces a budget crisis.

Police and fire union members lashed out at Hollywood city leaders who voted Monday to put the fate of their pensions in the hands of voters. City leaders said it was the only way to close the gap in next year's budget.

"It is absolutely critical for Hollywood's long-term survival," said interim City Manager Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark.

But public pension experts believe Hollywood is ahead of its time, that soon other cities will ask voters to make the pension changes their unions will not.

From Miami to Wisconsin to California, public workers are livid that leaders are breaking their pension promises, but with free health care, sick and vacation time payouts and million-dollar Deferred Retirement Option Plan accounts, retired employees are eating larger portions of state and local governments' dwindling budgets.

Pension experts told Local 10 that cities around the state will be watching to see what Hollywood's voters do. Recent national polls on the subject are mixed.

In February, a Quinnipiac University poll showed 42 percent of Americans think salary and benefits for public employees are excessive. Thirty-five percent said public workers don't make enough.

That same month, a USA Today/Gallup poll showed Americans opposed cutting the pay and benefits for public employees to reduce budget deficits 53 percent to 44 percent.

"That is so unconscionable. I can't even begin to tell you how unreasonable you're acting," Michael Braverman, of the Hollywood Police Benevolent Association, said at Monday's commission meeting.

Hollywood's unions failed to convince city leaders there's another way to balance the budget.

If they win the referendum and retain their pension benefits, the city said it may have no choice but turn their jobs over to the more affordable contractor, the Broward Sheriff's Office.

City staff will continue to negotiate with the unions. If they reach a deal, city leaders could cancel the plan for a referendum in September, when they return from summer break.