Mayor Nutter has made much of his budget cuts in recent weeks, telling state lawmakers that Philadelphia has already slashed spending and thus needs to increase the sales tax and restructure pension funding to get through the budget crisis.
And all that is true, as far as it goes.
But what Nutter has not done is lay off workers at anything close to the pace of his counterparts in New York, Phoenix, Chicago, and other cities where hundreds of municipal employees have been sent packing.
Indeed, this year Philadelphia has laid off only five employees.
That's right: Five.
Now, the city has eliminated 250 positions, saving $12.5 million on the books. But 197 of those spots were already vacant, 40 more workers were moved into other positions in city government, and eight employees chose to retire rather than be laid off. Still, the total is clearly tiny relative to the mass layoffs in many other big cities.
It could be a short-term respite.
If Nutter does not get state approval for key elements of his budget, or if he fails to win concessions in the next round of union contracts, he may have no choice but to get rid of hundreds or even thousands of employees.
The layoffs in either case would certainly top five.
Click here for Philly.com's politics page.
This story suggest that there was not a single employee in City governemnt,who left his/her job, to accept employment elsewhere. I know we are in a deep recession, but if true, that is a bizarre fact. It confirms that most City workers either are paid too much, or asked to work too little (or both).NOBODY thought a new job would be an improvemnt ? We need to think about that......— willll- Time for that cesspool of a city to cut some of the pork in their budget and get rid of their relatives on the city payroll, rest of the state is tired of paying for Filthydelphia and its morally bankrupt and corrupt politicians, while you are at it, take that P.O.S. Rendell the tax and spend liberal back also!!!!— Mike S.
- Neither of you know what you're talking about. Tons of people have left the city for better employment - there have been several top people just recently that this very newspaper covered - Andy Altman, Deputy Mayor, for example left for London. Hiring practices are so poor in the City that many departments have open positions that cant be filled. So, most people "laid off" were given the opportunity to go fill in at another department where positions were open - and in some cases this was actually a demotion. I dont see how this is a bad thing. Put away your pitchforks. Because of union rules in this City if there are layoffs, the people most effected will be young, freshly educated and motivated people who have the least seniority in their departments. Laying them off, means less competence, less technology, less skills. Laying off City workers isn't going to make this City better.— allforprogressandprogressforall
- Put away your pitchforks. Because of union rules in this City if there are layoffs, the people most effected will be young, freshly educated and motivated people who have the least seniority in their departments. Laying them off, means less competence, less technology, less skills. - so then lay off the older overpaid less skilled workers. oh that's right the union protects the lazy.— give me liberty or death
- union rules mean that they sink to lowest standard. You think city services suck now, you have not seen the worst yet. This will be fun to watch. People of Philly, you are seeing the outcome of the city government trying to shove their bills off on the rest of the residents of Pennsylvania. The rest of Pennsylvania is tired of supporting you. Pay for your government or change it to one that you can afford.— Wildman Bill
- Check your PICA report on the budget Mr. K...the City workforce is down by about 1,000 since Nutter took office.— Philly Phorever
Comment removed.
- Pa. Politics and Policy blogs
- Young Philly Politics
- Politics PA
- Keystone Politics
- Philly Blogs:
- Philadelphians for Ethical Leadership
- Metropolis
- Citizen Mom
- Plan Philly
- Changing Skyline
- Citizen Hunter
- American Debate
- The Illadelphia
- Phillyist
- Trash Me
- The clog
- Philadelphia Will Do
- Philly Skyline
- Phawker
- Philebrity
- Philly Blog
- Philly Future
- Addytood
- Philly Confidential
- Great Expectations
- Philly News
- Legal Intelligencer
- Philadelphia Business Journal
- Philadelphia Weekly
- City Paper
- Sunday Sun
- Public Record
- Inquirer
- Daily News
- Tribune
- Evening bulletin
- Metro
- Philly Politics and Policy Blogs
- Fight for Room 215
- A smoke Filled Room
- Hallwatch
- The Next Mayor
- Watchdogs & Movements
- Philly for Change
- PICA
- Casino Free Philadelphia
- The Field Negro
- PA Clean Sweep
- Neighborhood Networks
- Philadelphia Forward
- February
- January
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- Heard in the Hall columns from the Inquirer
- News | Sports | Business | What's Happening | Restaurants & Food | Entertainment | Living | Marketplace | Jobs
