Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "sacramento budget crisis"

City/County budget crisis: The weekly roundup

2009-06-22T01:20:33Z

City approves budget, 168 possible layoffs

The City Council approved its budget June 16 for the 2009/2010 fiscal year, which means the city no longer has a budget gap of more than $43 million. However, the budget also means that city services face significant cuts, and 168 employees are scheduled to be laid off.

The last day of work for the 168 workers has been changing because the city and unions are still grappling with contract negotiations. The most recent information is that the last day of work for employees scheduled to be laid off is July 3, said acting city spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson Friday.

The city has already distributed 168 pink slips. Still, the number of actual layoffs hinges on union concessions. City unions must make deals with city managers soon: The final deadline for labor agreements is June 30 at midnight, Klock-Johnson said earlier this week.

City parks to be maintained by volunteers, private sector?

Budget cuts and layoffs at the city’s Parks and Recreation department may mean the department could consider contracting with private firms and working with neighborhood groups to maintain city parks, said Jim Combs, director of Parks and Recreation.

A total of 65 workers in the department have received pink slips, according to Parks and Recreation spokesman Hindolo Brima. The department’s planned $8.3 million in cuts includes layoffs.

Combs told the City Council last week that if the department is going to suffer severe budget cuts, then the department may consider working with the private sector, as well as Parks and Recreation staffers, for maintenance services at city parks.

He also said he would be meeting with several neighborhood groups that have indicated they want to enhance maintenance in their local parks.

The situation for Parks and Recreation may soon change if Stationary Engineers Local 39, the union that represents parks workers, makes concessions to city managers.

Joan Bryant, director of public employees for Stationary Engineers Local 39, was not immediately available for comment Friday. The union represents a wide variety of workers in numerous city departments, including code enforcement, parks and recreation, parking enforcemen and the solid waste division.

800 pink slips for county employees

The county’s approval of its proposed 2009/2010 budget last week means that 800 employees may lose their jobs.

In September, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will adopt the fiscal year’s final budget.

Budget damage to District Attorney’s office lessened

There’s no doubt that the county’s budget crisis is resulting in dramatic cuts and layoffs. But when it comes to the District Attorney’s office, the budget situation has improved.

The D.A.’s office lowered its budget gap to $1.7 million from $13.1 million in May. The most recent numbers for the D.A.’s office are 18 possible layoffs and 45 unfunded positions, said Shelly Orio, spokeswoman for the D.A.’s office.

The recent figures may change because the county is still negotiating with four unions that represent employees in the D.A.’s office, Orio said. The D.A.’s office is also still waiting for clarification on some of the decisions made by the Board of Supervisors last week.

In May, Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully said she would have to cut major units, such as elder abuse and major narcotics, if she had to resolve a $13.1 million deficit.

“The good news is that no prosecution units will be completely eliminated,” Scully told the Board June 10.

See the D.A.’s June 10 presentation for more information on the office’s numbers.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City/County budget crisis: The weekly roundup

2009-06-14T17:19:13Z

City Council to consider budget:

The City Council may adopt a final 2009/2010 fiscal year budget Tuesday, June 16. The Tuesday meeting starts at 6 p.m. City Council meetings are open to the public and are held at 915 I St. The city is considering many cuts and layoffs to address a deficit of more than $43 million. A total of 168 pink slips were distributed to employees June 2. Fewer employees may be laid off if unions make concessions, according to city officials.

County supervisors to act on proposed budget:

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors may approve a proposed budget for the 2009/2010 fiscal year on Wednesday, June 17. Wednesday’s budget meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. The meeting is open to the public and will be held at 700 H St. Sacramento County faces a budget gap of $180 million. The county and city are on different budget schedules. Supervisors are considering approval of a proposed budget Wednesday. The county’s final budget will be approved in September.

Sheriff sounds alarm over possible budget cuts:

Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness told the Board of Supervisors June 10 that $80 million in planned budget cuts to the sheriff’s
department would result in significant public safety problems. In response to McGinness’s presentation, Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan asked county staffers to examine the possibility of providing the department with $20 million more.

Homeless programs on budget chopping block:

Sacramento County’s Department of Human Assistance, which provides programs for the county’s homeless population, will have to stop funding 154 shelter beds due to budget cuts, said the department’s director, Bruce Wagstaff.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Firefighters say a deal with city is near

2009-05-29T01:56:14Z

The local firefighters’ union may complete its contract negotiations with the city next week, according to Chris Harvey, spokesman for Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522.

The union is still confident it will be able to reach an agreement with the city “that’s beneficial to the citizens of Sacramento, as well as the firefighters,” Harvey said.

Gus Vina, the Sacramento assistant city manager negotiating with the union, was not available to immediately return a phone call Thursday.

The city’s $50 million deficit would be resolved through cuts in the proposed budget. The fire department would face cuts of 50 positions and $5 million, the budget document states. Vina has said that the planned cuts to the fire department would not take place if the firefighters decide to give up scheduled pay increases.

Residents continue campaign against budget cuts to parks

2009-05-28T03:07:40Z

A group of residents is continuing a campaign against proposed budget cuts to local parks after city staffers this week did not support the group’s proposals.

The group, called Rescue Sacramento Parks, has pitched the City Council several proposals to sustain parks services as the city addresses its projected $50 million deficit for the 2009/2010 fiscal year.

Among many other proposed budget cuts, the city is proposing to slash about $8.3 million and 145 positions from its Department of Parks and Recreation. Rescue Sacramento Parks is worried the proposed cuts to parks will lead to blight and public health and safety problems.

Craig Powell, the group’s chairman, said some of the group’s members will meet Thursday with Parks and Recreation staff “in an effort to find a solution.”

Rescue Sacramento Parks also plans to spread its message to more neighborhood associations, according to Powell. The group’s members participate in neighborhood groups.

Among other suggestions, the group asked City Council to work with the private sector for park maintenance and study whether the city can make more cuts to recreation programs. The group argues that more reductions to recreation programs could lessen the damage to park maintenance services. The City Council last week asked city staffers to analyze the group’s proposals.

In a report to the City Council this week, city staff agreed with residents that privatization of services would save money, but also pointed out drawbacks to the group’s idea.

Moving park maintenance services to the private sector would save an amount of money “estimated to be in excess of 40 percent,” the city staff report notes.

But the cost savings would have downsides, according to the report. “However, the service level would be minimal and response to customers would be reduced,” the report states. “Privatization of basic park maintenance would continue to require city staff to provide contract management and inspection, and more specialized services including irrigation system oversight and emergency repair and oversight of park facilities such as playgrounds, tot lots, all-weather fields, sports courts, picnic and seating areas.”

City staff also wrote that recreation programs should not face cuts on top of the reductions already planned. The department “does not agree that park maintenance should be fully restored at the expense of recreation programs and services; park planning, design and development; grant administration; and other crucial administrative and fiscal services,” the report states.

Rescue Sacramento Parks appreciated the City Council’s decision last week to ask city staff to study the group’s proposals, according to Powell.

But the group is upset that the City Council is not moving on the idea to work with the private sector on park maintenance services. The group is “very disappointed at the Council’s unwillingness to seize the opportunity to save millions of taxpayer dollars while simultaneously restoring basic park maintenance through privatization of park maintenance,” Powell said.

The group had suggested that the city use privatization as a bargaining chip with one of the city’s major unions, Stationary Engineers Local 39. Rescue Sacramento Parks proposed that the city work with the private sector for park maintenance services if Local 39, which includes parks workers, does not make concessions.

Local 39 is currently in negotiations with the city. Joan Bryant, director of public employees for Local 39, was not immediately available to return phone calls Wednesday afternoon.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.