In an attempt to help close the $11 million budget deficit, the city of Naperville laid off 20 employees and eliminated 23 vacant positions Thursday. The city would not reveal specifically what positions were eliminated, but did say that the police and fire department were included in the cuts.
The city said the cuts would comprise 5 percent of its workforce and would save $3 million for the year.
What do you think of these cuts?
I'm sorry that anyone has to lose a job, but recognize the harsh realities of today's economy. It is happening all over -- my company is no different, except our cuts have been much deeper.
I do have a question about the $3 million savings. How is it that we save any money by eliminating vacant positions? There is no savings from not paying someone we already aren't paying. If those positions are vacant, they shouldn't be contributing to the deficit. I guess it could be that the budget assumes the positions would be filled, but if they are vacant, and we are getting along, it doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice to cut them.
One other point, why is it a secret? We don't need names, but shouldn't the taxpayers be allowed to know what positions were impacted?
Sam, the city said they weren't revealing the positions because one person hadn't been notified yet. I would imagine it will be available after that happens.
The City has supervisors supervising supervisors, yet none of those positions were cut. I guess if you go out drinking at the local pubs with the high level low lifes, you were safe.
So Anonymous at 8:35pm, why don't you fill us in on the positions eliminated since you think you know that no supervisors supervising supervisors were cut? The article said the focus was on non-front line. I personally hate to see anyone lose a job but you seem to be plenty happy. Your true ignorance shows in the low life comment. Please pick yourself up out of the gutter and have a little compassion.
City officials are taking more drastic actions than the Napergatians recommended. I guess our city officials are now the New Napergatians.
It is sad to see any city employee lose his or her job but let us face it losing a home due to overburdening taxation is also sad. Let us hope only the "excess fat" is being eliminated and every deserving city employee can retain his or her position during our financial crisis.
The city is doing what it has to do and they have my unconditional support while they try to balance the budget.
Anonymous on January 9, 2009 12:17 AM
City officials are taking more drastic actions than the Napergatians recommended. I guess our city officials are now the New Napergatians
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Anonymous, don't you mean Napergatian (singular)? We now know that it was one person claiming to be many from this group, and we know that this "clever" individual goes by Anonymous (I know it's you) in some misguided protest. This person has no credibility, yet once again is taking over many of the threads.
As for the layoffs - unfortunately for these workers they have now been introduced to what corporate america has been dealing with for the past year. As for saving money eliminating vacant positions - I believe the city would have the positions budgeted / funded(at least partially) and the savings would come from not filling the already funded position.
Our town has lived beyond it's means for years now, thinking it had unlimited funding. I wonder how many of these jobs would have been saved had they not volunteered to bail out the White Elephant Carillon? Yea, we were sucked into that one...remember it when you vote for our elected officials next time...
So, what you are saying Anonymous 12:17am, is that you are okay with a former city employee losing their jobs and homes as long as your taxes stay low. Nice. Real nice.
Are pay raises still in the pipeline, and if so how much and for who?
I would prefer too see no pay raises and everyone gets to keep their jobs.
I do believe the city did the right thing by making the cuts and not announcing the positions cut until everyone was notified. However, how in the world do you make 19 layoffs and let it get printed that there is still one cut to make. Everyone who works for the city had to endure a thursday evening and then a terrible friday morning with the thought could I be the last cut. It truly wasn't very professional to save one notification for Friday!
Just one question for Trickey Dick F.......how do you sleep at night? People are losing their jobs because of your greed!! Scott Huber for US Senate
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By Scott Huber on January 9, 2009 10:22 AM
Just one question for Trickey Dick F.......how do you sleep at night? People are losing their jobs because of your greed!! Scott Huber for US Senate"
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Scott,
You forgot to mention the Carillon, the Downtown Parking Subsidies, the Downtown real estate tax subsides, the school district 7% pay raises (all of the money comes out of the same homeowners and local businesses), and the 6%? pay raises for the remaining City Staff and Management. This is off the top of my head.
The City could have settled this thing for something like $30K and a handshake at the very beginning, and didn't.
I have no doubt in my mind that if Furstenau had hit an officer, he would have been cuffed on the spot to the credit of the officer.
Something stinks in Denmark.
I'm not taking sides but if the city had paid Furstenau his 135K or something in the beginning the city budget hole would be right now be a million dollars less. By the time we are done the city will probably spend 3 million. Even if the city wins, we all loose, and so do these 20 employees.
Keep in mind that the city would not have had to spend dime one defending a lawsuit if it was never filed in the first place. I hope they counter sue for a full reimbursement of fees.
Does anyone know if the City Council members receive FREE medical benefits for life because they are council members? If this is true, I think we can get additional savings but dropping that immediately.
It's absolutely unbelievable to me that with so much fat that could easily be trimmed from the city budget that they decide to give 20 people the pink slip in today's economy and job market. Yet another embarrassing decision by the city of Naperville! Subsidies for the bars supporting the Naperville DUI money making machine are much more important!
I’d be interested to know what steps the city took short of laying off or eliminating 20 positions. What city perks did they consider cutting? For instance, how much would be saved by stopping free curbside leaf and Christmas tree pick-up? Did they consider (or enact) a pay freeze? Could the city have sold the test-track (wasted) land and saved some jobs?
I agree that the city is saddled with the white elephant Carillon, but the money for the Carillon is coming from the Culture (slush) fund and not the general fund.
Unfortunately, I don’t doubt that if the city had made an early monetary settlement with DF that would only have encouraged other vindicated arrestees to sue the city, too, costing us as much or more than has been sunk into the DF lawsuit defense.
T.B.
"Unfortunately, I don’t doubt that if the city had made an early monetary settlement with DF that would only have encouraged other vindicated arrestees to sue the city, too, costing us as much or more than has been sunk into the DF lawsuit defense.
T.B. "
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TB
How many DUIs does the City make where they arrest the person a week later?
Unfortunately, 20 people lost their jobs. Additionally, unfortunate, eliminating those positions is not going to balance the budget. Many more cost-cutting, belt tightening measures need to be considered as well. I agree with T.B. that the test-track should be sold. I drive past it several times a week (living nearby) and it really is under-utilized. I even asked if I could test drive a car I was purchasing on it and was told by the dealer that it is just too much trouble to use it.
And God help us, please, City Council, do not saddle the City with another white elephant like the Carillon (e.g., Omnia theater near the train).
As much as i agree that the test track is a bigger boondoggle than the carillon, There are two problems with selling it:
One, our city never admits a mistake.
Two, who in the world would buy it? It's a go cart track.
At least today (as of 10:00 am), they hadn't wasted any money plowing it.
Perhaps, since it has a skid pad, it could be used to teach student drivers how to handle skids -- at least there would be some benefit to the taxpayers.
Diane G, I think that will balance the budget. What are your sources?
To Anonymous on January 9, 2009 6:22 p.m.:
I'm not sure what you mean by my sources? I was referring to Naperville Toyota as far as asking the dealer to test drive on the test track.
I wouldn't think a buyer would want that land for the test track. It seems to me that a buyer might want it to make some other type of improvement on it.
By Ken on January 9, 2009 9:37 AM
So, what you are saying Anonymous 12:17am, is that you are okay with a former city employee losing their jobs and homes as long as your taxes stay low. Nice. Real nice.
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Ken,
That is not what I said. I said overtaxation can lead to residents losing their homes. There is a limit to how much residents can afford in additional taxes before they may have to declare bankruptcy and lose their homes.
If your tax bill comes on June 1 and it says 14,000 is owed in 2 installments and you can not afford those payments or even borrow to pay them since borrowing is becoming impossible, you will lose your HOME. That is just as bad if not worse than an employee losing his job.
An employee losing his job will collect unemployment for 9 months and hopefully will be able to find a new job before that benefit expires.
We can not afford to keep employees on the payroll we do not need. We are no longer a growing town and many of the positions in our town were related to the growth spurt. Now that the growth spurt is over, these employees need to find jobs in such towns as Plainfield and Oswego where the growth spurt will resume as soon as the economy regains its footing.
There is no longer land left in Naperville to sustain the 10% growth spurts of the past. What are you not able to grasp, Ken?
To Anonymous 1/9 @ 12p: No - Councilmen don't get free health benefits for life from the City. Once elected, Councilmen become City employees and get a salary (about $11K), health insurance (optional and with co-payments; I don't take it b/c I already have it with my day job), retirement benefits via the IL Municipal Employees Retirement system (partially vested after 4 yrs; fully vested after 8), a $50/month cell phone allowance and a $50/month hi-speed internet allowance. Retirement health benefits may be available through IMEA, but I don't know.
On the layoffs: I agreed that personnel reductions were necessary to balance this and next year's budgets. Here's how the numbers stack up:
A. Original identified shortfall: $11M
B. This year departmental savings: ($1.9M)
C. Next year departmental savings: ($1.9M)
D. Eliminate transfer to vehicle replacement fund: ($1.8M)
E. Transfer in from vehicle replacement fund: ($1.75M)
F. Reductions from Library, Settlement, Naperville Devel't Partnership: ($0.96M)
G. Shortfall before personnel reductions (A minus B thru F): $2.69M
H. 23 vacant positions eliminated: ($1.7M)
I. 20 positions eliminated by reduction-in-force: (1.6M)
J. Total shortfall/surplus (G minus (H + I)): $0.61M (surplus)
However, in November, the Council mandated that a $1M surplus be targeted because of concerns over further declines in revenues, so there is still a $0.39M shortfall from that target, which is expected to be made up for through additional non-personnel savings within departments.
~Councilman Bob.
By Anonymous on January 11, 2009 12:45 AM;
"If your tax bill comes on June 1 and it says 14,000 is owed in 2 installments and you can not afford those payments or even borrow to pay them since borrowing is becoming impossible, you will lose your HOME. That is just as bad if not worse than an employee losing his job."
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If one doesn't plan ahead for their tax payments or can't afford to make them, then maybe they are trying to live beyond their means?
Everyone knew taxes were going up, and if that increase means the difference between keeping your house or losing it, there are greater issues than a tax increase involved, maybe trying to live a champagne lifestyle on a Boone's Farm budget. Sure, it is easy to blame the City for your downfall, but in reality you need to look in the mirror for the one who is actually at fault.
By Fred on January 11, 2009 12:18 PM
Everyone knew taxes were going up, and if that increase means the difference between keeping your house or losing it, there are greater issues than a tax increase involved, maybe trying to live a champagne lifestyle on a Boone's Farm budget. Sure, it is easy to blame the City for your downfall, but in reality you need to look in the mirror for the one who is actually at fault.
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Fred,
Let’s see:
*Wages are stagnant to declining
*Unemployment is climbing, projected to grow to 9-10%
*401Ks have lost 40% of their value while Mr. Rubin made $150MM at CITI as CITI lost $1.4T. Obama’s chief economic advisor.
*Home values tanked 18% in November, with more to come. If you bought a house after 2000 you are in trouble.
*The FEDS just went over $10T in debt that can never be repaid without hyper-inflation
*Government/s needs to increase the percentage of your income from 50 to 60% that they consume and re-distribute. Goldman Sacs just paid $10B in bonuses and dividends with their bail out money.
* The US industrial base is being systematically exported to cheap-labor countries with no worker rights or any rights for that matter. Engineering jobs are beginning to leave in increasing numbers.
* Unsustainable trade deficits are making the dollar into a peso like currency on the brink of a further collapse. Gold has gone from $35 under Nixon to almost $800 under Bush a 95% loss of value in 32 years. The dollar is worth one half of what it was worth vs. the Euro 10 years ago.
$10T in Savings vaporized, dollar buying less, incomes flat to shrinking (if you have a job).
The middle class is being deliberately (through free-trade and open borders agreements, and failed social engineering programs) and systematically ratcheted down a little bit every day.
The future holds: more government, bigger spending, bigger debts, further erosion of the dollar, exporting more industries to China so they will lend us money, higher taxes and a shrinking life style for the many.
At least the need for cheap nannies, 40 year old lawn boys and 50 year old waiters desperate to keep their jobs will be filled. Welcome to Brazil.
While I am doing OK in the current melt down, I can see that many are not.
Housing Stats borrowed from J. Mauldin's news letter:
Let me wrap up with a quick note about housing. The economy is going to have a rough time getting back to trend growth with the housing market in the tank. New home sales fell 2.9% in November, while the median price declined 11.5%. Unsold inventories stood at a rate of 11.5-month supply. Housing starts fell nearly 19% in November, while the number of building permits was down 15.6%. Sales of existing homes in November fell more than 8%. The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city housing index showed an 18% drop in prices in October from a year earlier, while the 10-city index declined 19.1%. Prices in
the 20-city index have fallen more than 23% since their July 2006 peak, while the 10-city index is down 25% since its top in June 2006.
By Bubo on January 12, 2009 11:14 AM............
"While I am doing OK in the current melt down, I can see that many are not."
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Ok Bubo, so why are you doing OK? Is it luck? Or living within your means? Or possibly good planning?
Many that are losing everything live paycheck to paycheck with no cash reserves for the bad times. Sure, they look cool with the Mc Mansion, BMW, Land Rover, matching Mustang GT's for the kids, a Boat and exotic vacations, but in reality, none of it is worth it when the repo man comes for all the stuff. Those are the ones who tend to blame everyone else, including the city for their bad planning. Credit rich and cash poor is no way to live, especially when times get bad.
Fred,
A little bit of luck, a lot of hard work and some planning.
On the other hand, watching someone buckle under the last straw gives me not pleasure.
Bubo