SPRINGFIELD -- A change of heart by Springfield voters on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to a sales tax to bolster the police officers and firefighters pension fund. Now the question is “What's next?”

The atmosphere at the police and fire departments was quite different on Wednesday than in recent weeks; it was almost euphoric. Although it won't seem like there's immediate return for the citizens, the police and fire chiefs are already planning to get more officers and firefighters on the street as soon as they can.

"You could just see a huge weight lifted from their shoulders,” said Co-Acting Fire Chief David Hall.

Both Hall and Police Chief Lynn Rowe feel like brand new men.

"The attitudes have improved 100 percent,” said Rowe.

Police officers and firefighters feel like their financial futures are no longer hanging in the balance.

Besides the good news for them, citizens should also see positive changes within a year in those two departments.

"I plan to ask the council to fast-track action for one piece of next year's budget, and that is hiring back some number of police and firefighters,” said Mayor Jim O’Neal.

It’s important to remember, the mayor says, the money collected from the tax approval is solely to help fix the pension deficit. It will however free up some money from general revenue in fiscal year 2011 to replace some staff.

The city is down 32 police officers from the department’s authorized strength. Nine recruits will graduate from the city’s months-long police academy on Nov. 20 and will soon be ready for duty.

"We should see them out helping us the first part of the year,” said Rowe.

Then, in July, another class will be ready to go through training. They won't hit the street, however, until April 2011.

As for firefighters, "we wouldn't expect to see anything before the middle of next year, probably June or July, when the new budget comes in,” said Hall.

For now, the fire department will continue to rotate closures of fire stations.

"Really, that's much related to the state of the economy,” said Hall. "Without the funds for overtime and without those bodies being present, it's just going to have to continue."

City Manager Greg Burris says passing the tax doesn't mean spending cuts are over. He says the city will continue to look at the budget every quarter, and whether sales tax revenues are still down from projections made before the fiscal year started. If they are, Burris says he will have to continue to make cuts but, by reviewing it often, at least the cuts won't come all at once.