Detroit up against more layoffs

[UpInArms]

Chief financial officer forecasts need to cut 1,500 to 2,000 jobs from 2005 city payroll

http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0409/13/c01-271503.htm

DETROIT — From bus workers to office assistants, the city slashed 372 jobs to balance this year’s budget, but next year’s layoffs could involve almost five times that amount.

“We’re going to look at the way we do business, see if we are functioning as efficiently, looking at staffing levels,” said Chief Financial Officer Sean Werdlow, who in a deficit elimination plan forecasts the need to cut 1,500 to 2,000 jobs in 2005.

While Werdlow is putting forth the plan, his boss, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, has stopped far short of saying he’ll carry it out. Kilpatrick is facing what could be a difficult campaign next year, the very period in which he would have to cut the payroll.

High pension and health care costs will require the city, which has 18,074 employees, to shave $214 million in spending over the next 12 months.

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[leesa]

1. The Bush economic miracle keeps on crankin'

[noonwitch]

2. I wouldn't necessarily blame this totally on Bush

Kwame has not been the greatest mayor to ever lead Detroit. There are a lot of allegations of corruption, a high-profile recent incident involving his mistress (a city employee) getting out of a speeding ticket, the stripper-party-police overtime scandal, the constant infighting between he and the city council. He may not get re-elected, especially if someone really good (i.e. not Sharon McPhail) runs against him.

The most recent incident involving his mistress is very offensive to cops. She got pulled over for speeding and told the cops "Do you know who I am?". When the cops called the ticket into their commander, he told them not to issue it. The mistress then called the police chief and complained about being pulled over, and the police chief would not back her officers.