If Bloomberg Can Do It…
…so can you Governor Corzine. Michael Bloomberg is one of my least favorite politicians but at least he’s showing some spine against the unions.
Mayor Bloomberg is threatening to lay off up to 7,000 city workers, saying municipal unions and state officials haven’t done enough to help New York balance its budget.
Budget Director Mark Page told agency heads Wednesday to cut $350 million from their budgets, saying previous cuts of $3.1 billion starting July 1 weren’t enough.
“This next step would most likely rely heavily on additional head count reductions, whether through attrition or, as is more likely, through layoffs,” Page wrote.
“It is expected that these savings could result in a reduction of as many as 7,000 positions citywide.”
Bloomberg’s press team refused to discuss the letter.
“While it’s a letter addressed to the agency heads, it’s a message being sent to the union leaders,” said Charles Brecher of the Citizens Budget Commission, “and to a certain extent the state Legislature.”
The mayor has asked municipal unions to pay for 10% of their health care costs and find additional health cost reductions to save $557 million and avoid layoffs.
