The Legislature yesterday granted expanded 9-c authority to Governor Deval Patrick to close a budget gap that is at about one billion dollars. In doing so the legislature exempted themselves, the judiciary, and constitutional officers from the expanded authority. It also limits local aid cuts to one third of the total cut, which may still leave between $500 and $600 million of cuts against local aid.
If the cuts are in that financial range then all across the state police, fire, and DPW services will be slashed. I realize that people think they have heard it all before, but these cuts will leave municipalities in a position where our ability to perform some core services will be called into question. The vote in the House was 131-22 and in the Senate 32-6 in favor of granting the authority. Republicans put up a fight to protect local services and force some additional detail from the Governor before granting this authority. Those efforts were defeated.
Bill Manzi.com 
Have workshops been in place through out local depts, DPW, Fire, Police strategizing ways to cut costs to the very last cent before layingoff ? I Know dept heads dont have the exact figures from the Gov yet, but Im assuming they have a ball park number and already know what cuts would look like.
With that being said, dept heads should already have a plan in place, and it should come as no surprise to employees. Also are management positions on the chopping block too? I dont see it making any sense to shorten a work force but all the top money makers keep their jobs. Especially if the work force is lighter, whats the need for all the top heavy positions ?
Also if some city employee has months left before retirement is that employee going to be offered a buyout before laying off someone below that employee?
I appreciate your time on these issues…I’m by no means a politician, so I apologize in advance if these questions come off as being uninformed.
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Your questions are good ones. Let me start with your last question on an employee close to retirement. State law prohibits us from offering any incentive for early retirement. The local Mayor’s and Managers coalition has asked the state for that authority, but we have been refused. I have met with all of our municipal unions and asked them to brainstorm with us to find every available way to cut costs short of layoffs. The department heads have already submitted cuts totalling five and ten percent against their original allocation. We will do everything we can, but the longer the state takes to tell us what the cut is the worse off we all will be.
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Your Honor,
When private firms face the same problem, there are labor reductions. The remaining personnel have to pick up the slack and get the job done.
Town workers can do the same.
Don’t forget the folks that pay the taxes are loosing their jobs too.
Are there town union restrictions in this matter?
Jules
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