Public Employee Press

Bloomberg budget cuts jobs and services, but not outside contractors and consultants

DC 37 will be working with other municipal unions, community groups and political allies to battle the disastrous cuts of workers and services called for in Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s new fiscal plan.

The proposed $63.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2011, which begins July 1, would eliminate 4,286 city employee jobs, including 834 through layoffs.

The austere January plan would eliminate nurses at elementary schools with under 300 students, slash funds for libraries and cultural institutions, close 20 fire stations and cut assistance to people with HIV/AIDS.

“Casting city employees into the streets during this terrible recession only compounds the economic crisis we are living through,” DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts said. “With 10 percent unemployment, the city should be helping the needy and middle class, rather than wiping out jobs and services.”

As the City Council studies the plan, union leaders will speak out against the devastating impact of the cuts at budget hearings and demand restorations. The council must approve a budget by June 30.

The mayor’s plan aims its worst personnel cuts at social and health services, parks, libraries and cultural institutions. It does not specify the cuts planned for city schools, but 19 schools are scheduled to close. It predicts about 300 layoffs in libraries and 200 in cultural institutions, but DC 37 is communicating directly with these employers over how they will handle funding reductions.

The budget resurrects Bloomberg’s call for pension and health care savings. He wants city employees to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health-care premiums.

Noting that the average pay of DC 37 members is $31,000 a year, with many making only $16,000 to $17,000, Roberts called Bloomberg’s giveback plan “criminal.”

She noted that layoffs would only save a few thousand dollars each because the city would lose tax revenue and must bear the cost of unemployment and other benefits for laid-off workers.

While DC 37 and public media have found tremendous waste in the city’s use of contractors and consultants, the mayor proposed no cuts in contracting out.

“It’s outrageous that this administration hasn’t even taken a look at cutting the $9 billion it spends each year on contracting out,” Roberts said, “when the union has pointed out how the city could save millions of dollars by cutting waste in this area.

“Instead of laying off employees, the city should eliminate overpriced consultants and contractors.”

The Bloomberg administration has developed a draconian contingency plan including 17,500 layoffs to be implemented if the new state budget includes Gov. David Paterson’s full $1.3 billion in cuts to the city, primarily in education and health care.