SAN DIEGO -- Councilman Jim Madaffer called Wednesday for City Manager Michael Uberuaga to give a full accounting of the needs of the city's Fire Department, reacting to a published report that information was withheld.

View Proposed Budget Submitted By Fire Department To City Manager's Office | Edited Proposed Budget From City Manager's Office To City Council

Madaffer said he had "grave concerns" after finding out the city manager has withheld information from the City Council about the needs of the Fire-Rescue Department.

Uberuaga said he will give the City Council a thorough report on Friday. he said the information was omitted from department budget presentations to the council in order to focus on reducing the city's $30 million general fund shortfall.

"To keep the presentation focused on the proposed fiscal year 2004 budget, information about unmet needs of all departments, including the Fire-Rescue Department, were not extensively included," Uberuaga said.

But he said several other managers reports over the years have detailed the underfunding of the city's public safety department and its needs, including equipment, apparatus, vehicles and the helicopter program.

According to 10News, twice over the past 15 months, reports to the council by fire Chief Dave Bowman were altered to delete references to deficiencies in the city's ability to provide fire protection.

An investigation by 10News showed examples of Fire Department equipment and staffing reports that were watered down after the city manager's office reviewed them and before the reports were presented to the council.

The excised portions discussed the lack of a full-time firefighting helicopter and concerns about the city's firefighting capability in a booming, high-rise downtown, 10News reported.

"As a City Council member, I cannot fathom being kept in the dark and treated like a mushroom," Madaffer said during a meeting of the council's Natural Resources and Culture Committee. "For the city manager to prevent the fire chief from giving the council complete details and removing significant Fire Department budget requests is unconscionable, and I cannot stand for it."

Madaffer called for the city manager to promptly provide to the council and the public all versions of reports written by Fire-Rescue officials concerning equipment and staffing needs.

He also asked for the public release of a report written prior to last month's devastating wildfires about fire management in the Scripps Ranch area. Scripps Ranch was one of the areas hardest-hit by the fires.