For about 180 city employees and roughly 790 county employees, Thursday was the last day of work. The city layoffs are part of the budget cuts the city approved when it passed its budget last month. When it passed its budget, city officials closed a $50 million deficit. County layoffs came with the Board of Supervisors’ approval of its proposed budget last month. The county government had faced a $180 million deficit. For its final budget in September, the Board must still close out a $19 million budget gap in the state-mandated programs the county administers, according to Linda Foster-Hall, the county budget officer. Some of the city’s unions made concessions to city managers in retur

 A total of 68 firefighters are scheduled to be laid off during the first week of July, assistant city manager Gus Vina said on Tuesday. Mayor Kevin Johnson told reporters Tuesday that the Sacramento City Council did not accept the latest tentative deal with Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. Since the firefighters and city managers did not reach a labor agreement, the city plans to go through with its plan to lay off 68 firefighters. The firefighter layoffs are part of the city's budget cuts. "This is a setback, but the world doesn't stop here," Johnson told reporters Tuesday night. The city also did not arrive at a deal with Stationary Engineers Local 39, according to Vina. This

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 layo

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

City management will still need to lay off staff even if all of its unions make concessions, according to the city’s finance director. Sacramento Finance Director Leyne Milstein said she could not say how many layoffs would be needed if all the unions make concessions. That’s because the City Council will make the final decisions on cuts to services and programs, Milstein said. Concessions from the unions will not create enough savings to avoid layoffs, Milstein said. The city’s proposed budget aims to resolve a $50 million deficit. If the unions do not make concessions, city management plans to lay off 189 city employees. At its May 19 meeting, the City Council will address the propo