Mar 18, 2009 5:26 pm US/Eastern
Dixon Proposes Layoffs, Other Cuts
Reporting
Adam May
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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As many as 153 Baltimore city employees may be laid off as Mayor Sheila Dixon attempts to plug a $65 million budget hole.
CBS
As many as 153 Baltimore city employees may be laid off as Mayor Sheila Dixon attempts to plug a $65 million budget hole. Besides the layoffs, 374 vacant positions would be eliminated.
Adam May reports Dixon announced her budget proposal Wednesday.
"In order to cover rising costs of pension, healthcare and other fixed expenses, this budget includes reductions in nearly all departments," Dixon said. "As departments look at their respective agencies where they have identified those cuts, I am expecting them to come back with the most responsible way of doing that. No one wants to be laid off."
The mayor also plans to close three city swimming pools with every pool operating one less week. Three underutilized recreation centers will be closed. Hours would be reduced at libraries in the city. The Police Athletic League centers would be converted to rec centers, putting 24 officers back on the streets.
"The best use of police resources is dedicated to the crime fight," said Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld.
"Where we are initially happy is that there are no what appear to be immediate cuts in the police department budget," said Det. Bob Cherry, FOP.
The fire department loses two companies, including a ladder truck downtown. That concerns the union.
"When you think about the high-rises, the hundreds of thousands of people that come into the city as visitors, it's amazing they are going to close the downtown ladder company," said Bob Sledgeski, city firefighters union. "Their charts and graphs show a ladder truck can get there in a sufficient amount of time, but if you're in a window waiting for someone to get you, it may not be time for you."
The fire chief okayed the cut, but plans to apply for an economic stimulus grant.
"There's no easy solution. We have to cut resources. There's no place in the city that I would say we have excess companies," said Chief James Clack.
Dixon is not proposing any tax hikes but does want to increase the city's water rate by 9 percent.
The budget plan also assumes that the City Council will adopt the mayor's plan to reduce trash pickup to once a week.
The mayor's budget proposal also relies on city fire and police pension cuts. The unions and city hall are negotiating, but haven't agreed yet.
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