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By Dave Toplikar (contact) 
Published Thursday, April 22, 2010 | 12:04 p.m.
Updated Thursday, April 22, 2010 | 1:16 p.m.
Sun Coverage
- Mayor: City to move forward on employee job cuts (4-21-2010)
- Mayor: Time short for 141 Las Vegas city jobs to be saved (4-15-2010)
- Mayor: Some Las Vegas city jobs might have to be privatized (4-7-2010)
- Union leader hopeful about reaching agreement with city on salary cuts (3-26-2010)
- City employee union offers to take furloughs, pay cut (3-23-2010)
- Goodman cites ‘gridlock’ in union negotiations (3-18-2010)
- Goodman backs off proposal to fire, rehire city employees (3-15-2010)
- Mayor ‘serious’ about firing/rehiring city employees (3-11-2010)
- Council advances budget that would leave 146 jobless (3-10-2010)
- Council advances budget that would leave 146 jobless (3-10-2010)
- Las Vegas mayor: Salary cuts needed to save 171 city jobs (3-4-2010)
- Goodman: City could save 171 jobs if unions agree to pay cut (2-25-2010)
Possibly more than twice as many Las Vegas city employees — about 280 or more — could lose their jobs under a revised budget that will be drafted for the 2011 fiscal year, Mayor Oscar Goodman said today.
At his regular weekly press conference this morning, Goodman was asked how many more employees might lose their jobs than the 141 anticipated under the tentative budget the city council approved in March.
"I don't know. A lot. Maybe double. Maybe more than double," Goodman told reporters. The city council plans to approve a final budget on May 18.
Since January, Goodman and the city council had been trying to get the city's four unions to go along with an 8 percent pay cut this year and next year, plus no cost-of-living increases in order to save those jobs and allow the city to continue providing all the existing services. The city was hoping to save $29.7 million in personnel costs with that approach.
However, when the city's largest union voted Tuesday not to grant any concessions to the city, Goodman announced Wednesday at the city council meeting that the city manager would move forward to balance the budget — and this time without dipping as deeply into the city's reserves.
In order to save the reserve funds, Goodman said that will mean an increase in both employee layoffs and in program cuts.
Firefighters, who were spared from the original cuts of 141 jobs, will now also be subject to layoffs as the budget is revised, the mayor said.
"Everybody, across the board," Goodman said.
He said he has been advised by the fire chief through the city manager that the loss in jobs would not affect the response times and the quality of public safety.
"Are we going to have as many facilities open as we had in the past? No," Goodman said.
Since early March, when the tentative budget approved by the city had targeted which jobs would be cut, the Las Vegas City Employee Association, which had the most cuts, had been meeting regularly with city staff about concessions. The LVCEA had proposed that each employee take 96 hours of furlough, plus give up a 3 percent cost-of-living increase next year in order to help the city save $8.7 million.
However, based on factors that included not getting assurances that no more layoffs would be coming and on what some LVCEA members called "heavy handed tactics" by the mayor, the union voted not to reopen its contract to give any concessions to the city.
"Basically, I feel that we were not taken seriously," Goodman said. He said a group of employees who were not represented by a union, the so-called "administrative and appointive" positions, all agreed to the 8 percent cut and no cost-of-living or longevity increases next year and he hoped the union members would do the same.
"I thought there would be a pretty good degree of altruism. I was disappointed that there wasn't," he said.
Goodman said after he heard about the LVCEA vote for no concessions, "I took the position that I don't want to leave future elected officials in the same jackpot in which I find myself and the council finds itself and instructed the city manager, with approval of the city council, to cut as deeply as humanly possible in order to provide as many services as we can."
The mayor says he doesn't want to drop the reserve fund below the 10 percent level, which would have a negative effect on the city's bond rating.
"Because a sacrifice wasn't made, then we may as well clean up our act now, and not put it off for two or three years," he said.
Goodman was asked if the deeper cuts were a retaliation for employees' unions not working with the city to save jobs.
"I'm not into retaliating. But a choice was made and I thought it was a poor choice. But it's not retaliation at all," he said.
In response to a question whether there could be more layoffs, Goodman said "there will be, not could be."
The mayor, after saying there could be more than double the number of employees laid off, also said more programs would be cut in the revised budget.
"When you lose employees, you lose programs," he said. He said the earlier budget cut the city's extreme sports program, but some parents have begged to have two employees reinserted to keep it running.
"From what I heard yesterday, programs like that and a lot of other programs are going to go by the wayside," he said. "You think I like it? Well, I'm the mayor. You're wrong. I don't like it. But I asked everybody to come up and do the right thing. But it wasn't done. So I have no choice. Because all we can do as a city is to lay people off. We can't do anything else. It's our only remedy."
That's what is projected this year...what's the count for next year?
The count is probably the equivalent of the dollars to be spent on a not-particularly-needed new city hall.
I love Oscar more everyday!!
Hey Oscar, you grouchy old CUSS;
How come when you have your pet projects you can come up with untold MILLIONS...
Yet when it comes to PAYING YOUR PEOPLE, you can't FIND A DIME to save your life??? Did the mob take ALL OF YOUR SCRUPLES???
You cannot "negotiate" in good faith the way Oscar goes about it. It's just wrong.
As you can see, the City was not being honest with the original proposal and amount of people to layoff. The unions giving in and allowing pay cuts did not guarantee that no one would be layed off. How much money does the City have in reserves?
The city does not contribute to the state unemployment fund and has to pay the entire cost out of it's coffers. 280 employees are an awful lot to pay for their unemployment insurance that come right out of the city's budget.
Worst case scenario:
280 employees X $1,600 max employment pay a month = $448,000 a month in city paid unemployment benefits.
$448,000 X 12 months = $5.376 million dollars a year in city paid unemployment.
That doesn't include final pay out of vacation and sick time upon separation
Interesting way for the Mayor to save money.
With property taxes, sales taxes, and grants from the state and federal government being dried up, why are people shocked that the government has to lay off people? Did people gasp when MGM laid off 10% of their workforce when the economy tanked? Um... no. The city is laying off approximately 3%-7% of their workforce. Quit yer b!tchin!
Bravo Mayor Goodman,
You truly make me proud that you are our Mayor!!
You are taking desperate times and doing the best that can be done with whats available. Please keep the reserves and cut the budget to balance. The only change that I could see that would be fair for all the employees involved is that the majority of employee cuts should be done where the unions have not truly come to the table during this time of national financial crisis. If there pay remains at the same bloated levels then thats exactly where it makes sense to make the cuts. That is not retaliation, thats good fiscal sense.
Mayor Goodman, you have my vote no matter what office you seek in the future!
Mayor Goodman = Pure Evil. Did he take a pay cut to set a good example? NO. Did the City Manager take a pay cut to set a good example? NO. Does he guarantee people will not be laid off if they agree to paycuts? NO. Did he suggest City workers jump off the stratosphere and the survivors keep their jobs? YES. The mayor is evil, and there is no way to think otherwise anymore.
ALL public service positions should be filled with volunteers.
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Imagine that, less spending means less jobs. GOP way wins!!! Workers lose.
Hmmmm....why doesn't the mayor want to use the reserve fund and risk dropping it below 10%???? Hmmmm.... because then he couldn't build a $300 million dollar city hall and get his kickbacks. Heaven forbid spending reserves on workers in the community and saving jobs. There are gonna be lots more homeless people outside the beautiful new city hall.
Harley
Are you going to volunteer? If not then why would you suggest this?
Why would anyone want to volunteer at the DMV only to be screamed at about how long it takes or why can't they have their driver's license even thought they don't have the proper paperwork?
Or have a fire inspection in less than a year because the volunteer can only work two nights a week because he or she has a family and a job and there are 450 in font of the one you are trying to get.
Many of the building inspectors have degrees in engineering, why should they volunteer? They went to college to get that degree.
I repeat, Are You Going to Volunteer?
Of course no one wants to mention the 800 pound gorilla in the room, illegal immigrants. How much do they cost in services as well as taking jobs the citizens *would* do in this economy? What percentage of the population are they? What is the unemployment rate? Do the math.
Goodman is doing the right thing.
This is the first time I've heard the word 'jackpot' used to imply a bad position or a jam since I watched 'No Country For Old Men'.
Oscar wants to keep his AA Bond Rating unaffected! Without these layoffs or the 8% and only 8% as the city wont accept anything else, keeps the creditors happy to loan out for City Hall and Mob Museum...Since he isnt getting his way, now all the sudden they wont dip into that rainy day slush fund to make up any defecits...Get the truth out media...
Good Job Goodman
Should Obama how to live on a budget.
Oscar Goodman for president.
Just proves that:
1. The unions are out of touch with reality. This is not a case of "the city has the money but we are not going to give it to you because we don't want to." The city clearly does not have the money to continue to pay the wages and benefits that the city employees are demanding. And the city cannot make promises for the future earnings and benefits because no one knows whether the economy will be better a few years down the line, or worse than it is now - for example the credit card industry is already showing it is making bad decisions which will force people to stop using their cards and resulting in increased bad debts, bankruptcies and fraud. I wonder who will bail them out and what effect their ultimate crash will have on the economy over the next few years?
2. The unions really don't represent the best interests of their members. Under the circumstances they should take the pay and benefit cuts to look out for the best interests of those hundreds of members who will lose their jobs. Guess the unions don't care about them!
Well, unemployed union members cannot afford to pay union dues anymore can they? So in both the short term and the long term, they end up being forced to accept a wage a lot lower than they would have received had they taken the cut offered by the city. That is of course if they can find a job.
This is exactly what should happen when you have a union that make no concessions during a recession. Good job Oscar. To the union members who have lost their jobs-welcome to the real world.
Goodman's not the worst Mayor ever......that award goes to Marion Barry....smoked crack, got his job back.
why complain..you guys probably voted him in. When the economy was good you probably thought he was the best drunk..i mean mayor in the US.
The way I thought this was going to turn out was, first they were going to eliminate the people with the lowest senority, and maybe the under-achievers to start out with,...
But was suprised to find out that 3 City employees that I know personally that have 14+ years invested and are middle and upper management aren't underachievers got their letters in the mail and will be history as of the beginning of June...
Like who ever it was that said, "Welcome to Reality".....
Smaller government is better government. Oscar Goodman for President.
Is the mayor himself going to take an 8% wage cut to set the example?
"They went to college to get that degree."
So did teachers, but from I've read in the local blogs, they're not allowed to claim that in their defense.
It's the same old song and dance. Until goverment at any level, is budget like a Co. not tax money handed to them to spend. With the thinking i have to spend my whole budget this year, to make sure i get enough next year. The people at the bottom will pay with there jobs when times are hard. We have to balance the budget some how right?
In Michigan we had the same union problems that you are all facing now. The powerful unions said no almost every time when it came to giving back to the cities and state that gave them sooo much for way to long. Now the city of Detoit is on the verge of bankruptcy and over 500,000 people have left our once great state because of financial irresponsibly by a few unions.
Mark my words your city will pay this very very high price if your elected leaders do not take swift drastic action today to stop this mess.
I would be praising your leaders that step up to the plate and make these very tuff calls.
The taxpayers support the mayor.
The union thugs oppose the mayor.
You pick which side you are on.
If the lay offs are necessary then that's one thing. But for some posters openly getting their jollies off at the thought of people probably with families losing their jobs.Well that's just a sickness.
....Hey, Camerapro1..
I was wondering why there are so many newby residents runnin around Vegas wearing Detroit Lion/Piston jackets nowadays, you just answered my question.
Go Oscar...One more term... but thanks to term limits he won't be able to see this thru
If parents are requesting (begging) that the Las Vegas Xtreme Sports program remain intact then perhaps there are ways to do this even with the loss of the city workers. I know the facility at Doc Romero Park seems to run itself. The concrete skate park is very heavily used by BMX and skateboards. Mabey any of the actual work that needs doing could be accomplished by volunteers or a private fund.
The facility is in place. The kids use it. I believe the kids themselves could come up with a way to maintain it and keep it clean. The parents could help. A few hours on a weekend at the most. There are a lot of ways this program could stay alive without the city workers. The users could be brought into the fold and operate it as a part of their community and something they value. Many of the other programs at risk with the cuts could also become a part of an involved active community. Creative solutions are possible if those who care are allowed to get involved and exert effort and their time.
Start the layoff mayor and soon the union won't have any more members left. I like to see those greedy tenured employees who voted against saving their junior members jobs, now that they might be joining them on the unemployment line. I guess payback is mother shocker guys so brace yourselves and save every penny you have.
The City was willing to dip in their reserve funds if the unions do their part in helping balance the budget. Since the greedy unions reneged on their part, why should the City deplete their reserves to please them. The unions can not have it both ways and now they are reaping what they sow.
The LVCEA does not represent the City employees.
City employees were required to pay $400 each in order to have a vote on the concessions.
Those that pay, got to vote.
Only 1/3 of the entire City employees even voted.
Go ahead and cheer on the Mayor as he attacks those "greedy unions". After the Strip casinos see if it is successful don't you think they'll try it next? Every time workers in one segment of the economy take it in the shorts, it sets the stage for someone else to be next. All those great American industries of days past--textiles/furniture, steel, autos,etc.? Gone, gone, gone. What were they replaced with? Low wage jobs with no insurance or benefits at Walmart or McDonalds. You can't lay all the blame on the Unions, for example it was short sighted upper management who was only focused on quarterly profit numbers and cut research/engineering budgets that ran the auto companies into the ground. Poor management shares equal blame with "bloated" union contracts.
So go ahead, cheer on as the unions are destroyed. You'll be the next target in their sights as companies seek to fatten their profits at the expense of their employees.
lv2gen:
You are so right, those big businesses were gone, gone, gone because the unions run them down to the ground. If we don't stop these unions, they will run the cities, counties, and states to the ground too.
The (fire) department is $6.5 million under budget so far this year and has collected $3.6 million for EMS transports, which is slightly higher than the previous year.
Concessions have been offered by those "greedy unions" that could have saved jobs, but where denied because if the mayor doesn't get exactly what he wants, Bond rating goes down and interest rates for loans on the mob museum, city hall and etc. go up.
How much of a pay cut has Oscar and Betsy taken? I guess I missed that article in this birdcage lining rag....I mean "newspaper".
Yea, and FF's are the scammers. THINK PEOPLE. Your mayor is a lawyer, do you trust lawyers? They make their living lying. And he was a "mob" lawyer at that. He hasn't been truthful in 50 years.
Plus, when this town was rolling in money, until recently, a 6 year old could have been mayor and done the same job. It's easy running anything when you can just throw money at a problem and it goes away. Now when times are tough we see what kind of "skills" Goodman has........ZERO. I you notice he's not even funny anymore.
unglegig
What kind of payscale do you think we would have in the private sector without unions. $2.50 an hour minimum wage? Think about it genius.
City employees making 20 to 25 dollars an hour answering phones, filing paperworks, heck I can do it for 10 dollars/hour if you are generous Mayor, 15 dollars an hour. I speak another language fluently spoken by many in this city, even better I can improve my Spanish easily for a third language which I can use to better serve the citizens of this city. Mayor do what you need to do and goodluck. Unions won't budge and help with the current situation. All for One, One for All in this difficult economic situation. Mayor I lost my job 3 months ago and now I'm currently making nearly 50%less than what I used to earn.
Lay off as many as you can and if you need replacement for less money here is my e-mail
riesling31@yahoo.com
croc1:
I know you FF are getting paid big but what I am saying is that you can not afford to pay anybody if the money is not there.
Hey croc1, are surfing the internet and posting here while getting paid big bucks by the taxpayers? I hope you are not doing those FF scheduled OT.
Some first hand facts that the media won't say. Most union employees do not make the money stated, i make the same as I did in the private sector. Yes appointives and executives gave some concessions, but NONE of it was a direct pay cut. They lost time off and took a cut in their retirement. That is what the union wanted, but were told nothing but a direct 8% this year and 8% next year on take home pay. Plus if you knew how much taxpayer money was wasted on "totally unnecessary" items and projects. And yes the reason they want the paycut so bad...New City Hall...how else they going to pay for it! Oscar has his own personal agenda and that is all that matters. We gave many suggestions on where to cut. Response - NO NO NO.
trouble
I can take over your job for less money. You people are greedy!!!!
most comments I've ever seen on any article
WHATEVER. I live paycheck to paycheck just like everyone else. One income family. We dont vacation, dont go to movies or out to eat, own anything unneccesary and do wiith out quite often. Before you judge you need to get to know the people. Managemnent and Oscar are greedy.
I will give you and the other sick people some satisfaction though, whether is be pay cut or job loss, myself and most i work with will lose their house. (and i dont have a second-wouldnt be that stupid)
Employees don't set their own raises or benefits. EVERYTHING must be approved by the City Council and Mayor. But the Mayor must focus attention on the unions, not his own malfeasance.
But in these days when no one wants to live up to a contract, I can see why the Mayor is trying to weasel out of this one.
He should stop whining (not very becoming) and balance the budget the best way possible. Including layoffs. Just please quit embarrassing yourself in the process. JMHO
Looks like the UNIONS run the City. Time for a change?? Time for some real leadership??
some interesting reading here
http://www5.lasvegasnevada.gov/sirepub/c...
Oscar Goodman was bought and paid for by the Unions. Now they want their payback on their investment. Of course they are NOT cooperating in solving the city's problems. If you vote for a Democrat, you vote for a bought and paid for politician, period. Let's change the course of our downward spiral and throw the Democrats out of office this fall.
trouble
"WHATEVER. I live paycheck to paycheck just like everyone else. One income family. We dont vacation, dont go to movies or out to eat, own anything unneccesary and do wiith out quite often. Before you judge you need to get to know the people. Managemnent and Oscar are greedy.
I will give you and the other sick people some satisfaction though, whether is be pay cut or job loss, myself and most i work with will lose their house. (and i dont have a second-wouldnt be that stupid)"
_________________________________
Spoken like a true greedy person. What makes you think you are the only one with financial responsibility and a mortgage. Many people have lost their jobs, people making less money than the greedy union members. I for one lost my job January of this year, now I'm working with almost 50%cut in pay doing the damn same thing. Mind you I have a mortgage as well, thank goodness I have a mortgage I can afford even in difficult times and I don't live extravagantly, heck I don't even own a cellular phone.
You think you deserve a fat paycheck just because you have a mortgage. Get back to reality!!
Mayor Goodman, lay off as many of these greedy people as you can. There are many of us educated citizens that can replace these greedy SOB's.
All government works should be fired.
There really isn't any need for them to be draining our tax dollars.
I am so sick of people trash talking government employees!
Most of us started with the government for less than what you make in the civilian sector. We make good money only after many years of service. We never get bonuses, stock options, holiday parties, expense paid trips and certainly are not offered options to "move up" the ladder as the private sector. Most federal employees only move up when you've accomplished advanced degrees in your field.
Your just angry because your private sector employers left you high and dry when the economy went ti-- up! Most of us work darn hard serving the public in a job that most of you would never do and is not appreciated. I earned every dime, and now I make more than most of you do! BOO HOO HOO...stop whining and put in your application. We are hiring.....
The union is not the cause of the depression. With the number of employees set to be laid off, it seems that there is nothing the union could do.
Let's have a look at the overall budget. Where else is the money going? Everyone loses when a city employee is not able to perform their job. Trouble in the mail.
Support your unions. Buy American.
Why accept Mayor Goodman's word on things. Why not take a close look at the dollars before we agree with his extortion tactics. Don't ever forget he was a mob lawyer who proclaimed his clients innocent. This makes him a liar in my opinion.
Why persecute labor members who bargained in good faith and are expecting the city to do the same. Nobody held a gun to their heads.The negotiating teams on both sides deemed the contract fair.
The unions have given concessions. The unions are doing just what they should: Making sure they don't give in to city's demands just because they say they should. Say the employees acquiesce.. and then whats next? How many future rights and agreements are disregarded because of the precedent this sets.
Someone show badman to the door. If the door hits his arse on the way out so be it. Vegas has become a sesspool under his watch and more city people have lost jobs under his watch.
Can you just "barter" to pay them with chickens?
Maybe the Mayor could set an example for sacrifcing for the good of all and keep a few employees by giving up his own salary.