The members of Dallas' imperiled Police and Fire Pension System voted overwhelmingly to reject proposed cuts to benefits, including cost-of-living adjustments and compensation related to back pay.

The vote, delayed by a lawsuit, wrapped up at noon Saturday, and the results weren't made public until the evening. They needed 65 percent to pass each item; the votes related to the proposed cuts didn't even come close.

The only item that did pass will allow the city to appoint non-council members to the board.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings called the outcome disappointing in a brief statement sent to The Dallas Morning News.

But, he added, it "doesn't change the fact that the changes we need to save DPFP will have to come at the state level."

The fund is short more than $3.3 billion and racing toward insolvency, likely within the decade, unless the city and fund can find a solution that's acceptable to Austin.

On its website, the pension fund posted its own statement that said its members are "committed to making the necessary adjustments to ensure that Dallas' first responders can rely on the retirement benefits they have earned. ... DPFP Board and staff now will work to prepare and submit legislation to the Texas Legislature for its review and action in the upcoming 2017 session."

Dallas City Council member Philip Kingston, one of four council members on the system's board, said he was not surprised by the outcome, because he didn't think the proposed cuts were viable in the first place — especially when the Deferred Retirement Option Program withdrawals began ramping up in August, resulting in a $500 million run on the bank.

In fact, Kingston said, for close to a year he was trying to tell the members of the Long-Term Financial Stability Subcommittee to ditch this proposal.

"In a way, I think it's good it failed," he said. "It will allow the board to go back and think through more clearly what our real options are. But you can't blame the members."

For now, at least, the pension fund has no solution — and the city does, though, as Kingston said Saturday night, it's one "that's distasteful to the system and the members."

The pension fund and city will now have to negotiate yet another possible fix, then take it to Austin and hope the Legislature finds it acceptable.

The fund said in its statement that its board and staff "will also continue to work with the City of Dallas to overcome the current challenges."