Pittsburgh to lay off 731 city workers, close one police station

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Aug. 6, 2003 | Timothy McNulty

[mountaineer]

Mayor Tom Murphy announced yesterday that he is laying off 731 city workers, closing a police station and spending nearly all of the city's $28 million savings account to hold off bankruptcy for the rest of the year.

Murphy said he hated making those decisions, but was forced to because of the state Legislature's inaction on his proposals to offset a $60 million budget deficit with new taxes and state aid.

"While I believe these cuts are necessary, I hate doing this," Murphy said, his voice breaking and his eyes moist during a news conference in his office yesterday.

"I hate having to do this because if affects the quality of life of the city and its neighborhoods. I hate it because what it means to the lives of very hard-working men and women who work for the city of Pittsburgh, who come to work every day -- good friends of mine.

"These cuts are difficult and painful for our city and for our community."

In addition to the 731 layoffs, another 113 vacant positions will be left unfilled.

The estimated net savings from the cuts -- after paying for unemployment insurance, benefits and the like -- is $6.5 million.

Murphy also is closing 26 swimming pools as of tomorrow, and leaving six regional pools open through Labor Day; closing four senior centers and leaving 13 open; and closing all 19 of the city's recreation centers, where sports, arts and community events are staged. Closing the facilities themselves will not save much money; their greatest costs come from staffing them.

Since 102 police officers will be laid off, Murphy said other police will be shifted away from large city events to work in neighborhood police stations. That means no officers will direct traffic at football games or community parades, he said, and some large public events will be canceled, including the 26-year-old Richard S. Caliguiri Great Race on Sept. 28.

One of the city's six neighborhood police stations or the traffic division headquarters in the Strip District will be closed, but Murphy said he and Police Chief Robert W. McNeilly Jr. are still deciding which one.

The layoffs of the 102 police, 203 crossing guards and roughly 200 lifeguards comprise nearly 70 percent of all the furloughs.

The only main city government branches avoiding the ax completely are the controller's office, City Council, the City Clerk, Emergency Operations and the Fire Bureau.

Yesterday's layoffs, which come in Murphy's 10th year in office, will go down as one of the darkest days in Pittsburgh government history. There have been layoffs before but never in these massive numbers.

Murphy laid off 95 employees in his first year in office in 1994 and former Mayor Sophie Masloff laid off 82 workers in 1991. But there were more than 5,000 city employees back then.

Before yesterday, there were 4,350 employees working, so yesterday's 731 cuts represented a staggering 16.8 percent of the workforce, or one in every six workers.

Murphy's $386 million 2003 budget was balanced on the hope that a $60 million hole could be filled with state approval of a new half-percent payroll tax on all city employers, a 10 percent tax on alcoholic drinks and $12 million in pension aid.

Lately, with the assistance of city business leaders, Murphy changed that request to a $52 tax on all city workers (up from the $10 tax last increased in 1965); a 0.45 payroll tax on for-profits; and the pension aid. In exchange, he promised to lower business privilege and mercantile taxes, and let a fiscal oversight board review city budgets.

The legislation was never formally introduced to the General Assembly, and an ongoing stalemate between the Legislature and Gov. Ed Rendell on other statewide budget issues has kept the city legislation languishing.

[mountaineer]

Associated Press report (from PennLive):

PITTSBURGH (AP) — With the city facing insolvency by year's end and state aid held up by an impasse in the Legislature, Mayor Tom Murphy said the first of 731 city workers — nearly 17 percent of Pittsburgh's work force — would be receiving pink slips Wednesday.

The cuts will affect nearly every department, from the police department, which will lose one of six city police zones and more than 100 officers, to the mayor's office, where nine people will be laid off.

"In arriving at these extremely unpleasant decisions, I have had to follow a simple guideline," said Murphy, who struggled to control his emotions. "Cut every function that we are not legally obliged to do or obliged by the necessity of basic public safety to do."

That means 265 employees in the Parks and Recreation Department will be let go, 26 of 32 swimming pools will close and all of the city's 19 recreation centers will shut their doors. A total of 814 positions are being eliminated if current vacancies that will not be filled are included.

With Catholic schools set to open in less than three weeks, all 203 of the city's crossing guards were laid off Wednesday. Many of the guards and some parents picketed outside of a Pittsburgh hotel where Gov. Ed Rendell was meeting with legislators.

Rendell told the picketers that if legislators did not reconvene, he would call for a special session to address the situation in Pittsburgh and other state budget issues.

"We need to give both the Council and the mayor the opportunity to make those choices for themselves and for all of you," Rendell said.

City leaders had sought approval in Harrisburg to levy two new taxes to help close the budget gap — a 10 percent drink tax and a 0.5 percent payroll tax.

Murphy said he made the cuts only when it became clear that the Legislature would not reconvene and that the city would run out of money before the end of the year.

Yet a number of legislators remain opposed to tax increases and said Murphy did not need to fire so many workers, especially in the public safety sector.

"It is very difficult, over a period of a few months, to do away with 30 years of fiscal mismanagement," said State Rep. Jeff Habay, R-Allegheny. "This isn't a partisan issue, as some people have portrayed it. It's a fiscal responsibility issue."

Habay said the city should have cut costs in more responsible ways, such as merging overlapping services with the county.

"This 'tax yourself into prosperity' is something that Republicans generally do not agree with," he said.

Murphy said that without the ability to levy taxes or collect other money from a growing acreage of tax-exempt properties, such as universities and hospitals, the city will go bankrupt.

"I hate doing this. I hate doing this because of what it means to the quality of life of our city and our neighborhoods," Murphy said. "I hate it because of what it means to the lives of the hard working men and women who work for the city."

Other events such as the Pittsburgh Great Race, a 10-kilometer jaunt through the city that attracts 10,000 runners including Murphy himself, have been called off.

The city continues talks with emergency workers in an effort to merge the fire and emergency services bureaus to save money.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh and city schools are in talks with crossing guards, though if a deal is reached, it appears only half of the 200 guards will be rehired, union officials said.

[mountaineer]

Burgh ping.

[KevinDavis]

It is all GW fault! Time to close the borders! Raise the Tariffs! Oops wrong thread...

[Petronski]

"It is very difficult, over a period of a few months, to do away with 30 years of fiscal mismanagement," said State Rep. Jeff Habay, R-Allegheny. "This isn't a partisan issue, as some people have portrayed it. It's a fiscal responsibility issue."

[mountaineer]

I suspect Pittsburgh's Democrat machine rivals Chicago for the numbers of useless city employees, row offices and the like. So what does Mayor Smurfy do but endanger public safety by eliminating police officers.

[Petronski]

I remember clerking at a law firm in the early 90s and marveling at the lazy, larded row office staffers.

Slower than molasses despite gross overstaffing. Amazing.

[Asclepius]

The estimated net savings from the cuts -- after paying for unemployment insurance, benefits and the like -- is $6.5 million.

Dude. Way to go. Only $53.4 million left to cut to achieve solvency.

I live in Pittsburgh, in Greenfield near Squirrel Hill and the waterfront etc. But I wish I didn't. I should flee to the less ferociously taxed and underserved suburbs, exurbs etc. Yet here I stay. I wonder why.

[mountaineer]

Murphy's $386 million 2003 budget was balanced on the hope that a $60 million hole could be filled with state approval of a new half-percent payroll tax on all city employers, a 10 percent tax on alcoholic drinks and $12 million in pension aid. Lately, with the assistance of city business leaders, Murphy changed that request to a $52 tax on all city workers (up from the $10 tax last increased in 1965); a 0.45 payroll tax on for-profits; and the pension aid. In exchange, he promised to lower business privilege and mercantile taxes, and let a fiscal oversight board review city budgets.

Yes, that's the answer - higher taxes! Lots and lots of people will want to live, work and operate businesses in Pittsburgh if those darn piddling taxes were higher.

[clueless_expert]

Hey, I got an idea. How 'bout we build a new baseball park, we'll win a lot of games with a new baseball park. Or how 'bout a new football stadium? Maybe we should throw up a new arena for the Pens too, while we're at it. They deserve better than the Civic Arena. Think of all the revenue these cashcows will bring in. What's that? We can't call it the Civic Arena anymore? Oh yeah, that's right we sold its naming rights. I forgot.

Better yet, I propose we replace all public phone booths with slot machines. I mean, who uses a payphone these days anyways?!? Doesn't everybody have a cell phone?

Can't we charge Ohio for all the water we're sending them via the Ohio River? C'mon, all that water from the Mon and Allegheny just going down the drain?

C_E

[Richard Kimball]

Silly-*ssed political crapola, once again. Gosh, life would have been wonderful if ONLY we could have raised taxes! First of all, those 200 lifeguards are all most likely seasonal employees. Whoopee.

The police officer layoff is to get maximum effect. Good grief. If he made reductions that didn't have people complaining, he'd be expected to run the city responsibly.

[Richard Kimball]

I agree with you about the ridiculous concept of paying for professional sports arenas with taxpayer money. If the sports organizations had to pay their own way, players wouldn't be making 10 20 mil a year.

[barker]

The police officer layoff is to get maximum effect.

That's what they always do. People will scream about the police and crossing guards. Meanwhile the worthless, bloated office staff keep their jobs.

[ellery]

In Murphy's defense, I don't think he has the power to eliminate row offices. I do find it interesting, however, that the controller's office and city council were spared cuts.

I wonder when, if ever, we'll see city/council consolidation?

[martin_fierro]

	It's a 'Burgh Thing.TM
Send FReepmail if you want on/off BPT list
Learn Pittsburghese!

"While I believe these cuts are necessary, I hate doing this," Murphy said, his voice breaking and his eyes moist during a news conference in his office yesterday.

Those pols sure can turn on the tears on demand, huh? What he's really saying is, "I wish I could get away with raising Allegheny County property taxes just ONE MORE TIME to cover all these costs."

Wonder whether the "Allegheny County Department of M/W/DBE" is experiencing any budget cuts.

[WhiteGuy]

Cutting spending?

What a good idea!

[prisoner6]

Rendell blames Senate GOP for budget crisis

He says other caucuses ready to come back

Thursday, August 07, 2003

By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

Gov. Ed Rendell came to Pittsburgh yesterday and placed the blame for the state's budget gridlock squarely on recalcitrant Republicans in the state Senate.

Gov. Ed Rendell talks to a group of school crossing guards and their supporters who marched from Grant Street to Station Square yesterday to protest budget cuts that eliminated their jobs. (V.W.H. Campbell Jr., Post-Gazette) Click photo for larger image.

"What's holding this [budget settlement] up is politics, most of all,"

... For the rest of the story...CLICK HERE

Gosh Ed... it's those evil pubbies again! It couldn't POSSIBLY be decades of irresponsible overspending (and overtaxing) by ratz could it?

Let's all demand our state legislature get back to work and RAISE OUR TAXES! RAISE OUR TAXES!...

STUFF IT IN YER NOSE, ED!

prisoner6

[mountaineer]

Residents blame budget cuts on administration's spending priorities

By Marisol Bello
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, August 7, 2003

From the Hill District to Bloomfield, the history of generations of Pittsburgh families can be found through the doors of their neighborhood rec centers. Christina Green has lived most of her 36 years across the street from the Ammon recreation center and pool in the Hill.

She spent her summers as a teen working as an aide in the Bedford Avenue building, which is now 63 years old. Her mother still sweats to the beat in weekly aerobic classes for adults, and her three children spend the hottest days splashing in the pool's clear water. As of Friday, those days are gone.

Mayor Tom Murphy announced yesterday that Ammon and 18 other recreation centers and 26 neighborhood pools are shutting down, victims of a budget crisis that has the city $40 million in the hole. The city also is closing four senior centers.

"They don't care at all about the children," Green said from her mother's porch across from Ammon. "Has the mayor lost his mind?"

At the Ammon rec center yesterday, a handful of teens and children splashed in the pool. Neighborhood children who attend the free summer camp sponsored by the rec center played basketball inside. Employees said they heard the buzz, like everyone else, that some of the centers would close, but none knew their center was scheduled to shut down and so quickly. None had received notice about their jobs.

Kelly Young, 30, who has worked full-time for the city parks department for eight months as a recreation teacher, figures she is going to get a pink slip. "Obviously, I don't want to go without a paycheck," said Young, who lives in Brighton Heights. "I just feel bad for the kids. The center is a safe haven for them. Where are they going to go?"

Young had just started a girls softball league on Monday. Already, pre-teen girls from the neighborhood were dropping by to find out when the next practice would be. It was supposed to be on Friday. She said the rec center's closing will be hard on working parents who rely on it during the summer for its free camp. Now, they'll have to scramble to find caretakers, she said. "It's going to be a mess," Young said.

Murphy, who broke the news at a teary-eyed conference in city hall, received little sympathy from city residents. To a person, they angrily said the mayor and his administration devoted their time to building the North Side sports stadiums and the Downtown convention center. They pointed to the Downtown department stores that are losing money, despite hefty subsidies from the city.

"We can't even get loans to open up little candy stores on Centre Avenue," Green said. "But Lord & Taylor can come in and then pull out just like that. And we can't even get a fruit stand. It ain't right."

Across town, mothers watching over their children at the Bloomfield pool railed against the high price they pay for choosing to live in the city. They say they pay high city and school property taxes, pay to park in front of their own homes, and they had to shell out $40 for pool tags they won't be able to use for the whole summer. "Why don't they try cutting everything they give to everybody for free?" said Beverly Policicchio, as she pushed her daughter on a swing. Behind her, lifeguards swept the pool area clean, preparing it for the nightly swims that are usually swarmed by local families.

The 102 police layoffs sparked fear, anger and disappointment. "This stinks. This really stinks," said Bob Hillen, of Beechview, the president of the Zone 4 Public Safety Council and leader of the city's Republican committee. "So many neighborhoods like ours have come so far in battling crime and drugs. But with fewer police officers out there, we could lose everything we have gained."

Andy Dlinn, leader of the Squirrel Hill Citizens Patrol, said the cuts should serve as a wake-up call for leaders and residents. "The only thing we can do is get more neighbors involved," Dlinn, said. "The city had to do what they did because of neglect or because they were building new stadiums with the money or whatever. We'll do what we can to protect our own neighborhood. And I hope the other communities do the same."

Many police officers said privately they are concerned for their own and the public's safety, as well as those young officers with new homes and families who will be put out of work in the coming weeks.

Still, some city residents tried to take the cuts in stride. One Hill District youth said the mayor has left city residents little choice for the rest of the summer. Hanging out on the steps of the Macedonia Baptist Church next to the Ammon rec center, Will Williams, 13, quipped, "We're just going to have to sit in the bathtub in a pair of shorts."

Tribune-Review

[Badray]

"This stinks. This really stinks," said Bob Hillen, of Beechview, the president of the Zone 4 Public Safety Council and leader of the city's Republican committee. "So many neighborhoods like ours have come so far in battling crime and drugs. But with fewer police officers out there, we could lose everything we have gained."

Andy Dlinn, leader of the Squirrel Hill Citizens Patrol, said the cuts should serve as a wake-up call for leaders and residents. "The only thing we can do is get more neighbors involved," Dlinn, said. "The city had to do what they did because of neglect or because they were building new stadiums with the money or whatever. We'll do what we can to protect our own neighborhood. And I hope the other communities do the same."

Both good men and friends of mine. When Andy says that they will protect their neighborhood, he means it. Now would not be a good time for miscreants to try to test the lowered police presence on Andy's block.

Or for the greater good, maybe it would be a good time.

[Badray]

I think you know some of these people.

[mountaineer]

Seems every city and town in Penna has dems running it, and everyone has budget problems.

Ditto West Virginia!

[smokeyb]

I think you know some of these people.

Sure do. And I still don't understand why they still live in the city limits !

[clueless_expert]

I agree with you about the ridiculous concept of paying for professional sports arenas with taxpayer money. If the sports organizations had to pay their own way, players wouldn't be making 10 20 mil a year.

I blame the pols that allow tax money to be spent in the first place. If the market will support 10 mil/year, more power to 'em! There certainly is a high demand for all things sports.

We had a minor league team here in Johnstown for the last several years. They shared the stadium with the Johnstown High team. This year the minor league team left town, and the highschool built their own facility.

The stadium was in very sad state of repair (nearly condemned IIRC). Rather than free up the land (downtown) the city/state decided to pump $2 million into it. Now, this stadium isn't being used but for ~2 weeks/year for AAABA games.

Now, not only did we have to foot the bill to revamp this (unused!) stadium, but the local taxpayers also built the new facility for the highschool!!

Meanwhile, there's a reservoir (Sugar Run Dam) in an outlying township that can only be filled to 1/4 capacity because it's breast is in such bad shape. Maybe during the next drought, we could sink a well in the outfield of our newly revamped stadium to try and find water!

I'm sure these types of decisions happen every day across the commonwealth. No wonder the state is in such dire straits.

C_E

[Bob J]

TONIGHT ON
UNSPUN with ANNAZ
and guest hostess twinkee Diotima

the topic: PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION BAN- What exactly does it mean?

Guest for the evening is Bill Murray of the Family Research Council

PLUS – A call from McClintock Campaign Headquarters!

Click HERE to listen LIVE while you FReep!
HIFI broadband feed HERE! (when available)

Would you like to receive a note when RadioFR is on the air? Send an email to radiofreerepublic-subscribe@radioactive.kicks-ass.net!

Click HERE to chat in the RadioFR chat room!

Miss a show?

Click HERE for RadioFR Archives!

[Hacksaw]

Yet city council still refuses to privatize garbage service, which is run now by the Teamsters.

[Dog Gone]

Yesterday's layoffs, which come in Murphy's 10th year in office, will go down as one of the darkest days in Pittsburgh government history.

I would beg to differ. This should be copied around the nation.