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Union chimes in against budget cuts

City workers fear that any cuts in services could mean a loss of jobs.

By MIKE DONILA
Published April 6, 2007

CLEARWATER - With local leaders looking to cut costs under threat that the Florida Legislature will slash property tax collections, members of the city of Clearwater's largest employee union are pushing their way into the local debate.

An hour before the City Council met Wednesday night to look at a list of cost-cutting ideas, more than 50 members of the Communications Workers of America Local 3179 met in front of City Hall, waving "CWA" posters and sporting "Proud to be Union" T-shirts.

The employees said they were concerned about their jobs and worried that if they were laid off, services that affect the city's quality of life would suffer. They said Wednesday's demonstration was just the start of a new public awareness campaign.

"We'd lose a lot of the wonderful things people take for granted," said library assistant Laurie Sullivan, 45, who has worked for the city for more than two years. "Maybe we should tighten up a little, but these cuts are ridiculous."

The union's concerns are rooted in a base reality: Personnel costs are the highest single expense for governments, meaning any cuts to services will likely mean jobs.

But the newest round of cost-cutting ideas considered briefly by the council Wednesday night also included cutting benefits for any employees that remain, such as possibly capping salaries and changing employee health benefits and retirement plans.

That proposal was among 16 presented by an 11-member citizen budget review task force the council formed last year.

City leaders, like Mayor Frank Hibbard, sought to assuage fears Wednesday, questioning whether job cuts would be required.

While the mayor said he expects major cuts, he said the work force could be slimmed through attrition.

Indeed, it's far from clear what the city's financial situation will be in 2007-08. State lawmakers would likely act before the legislative session ends in early May. But many of their property tax cut plans would still have to be put before voters in November or later.

Nonetheless, city leaders have said they are committed to cutting costs and last year appointed the budget review task force. The group met weekly for about three months beginning in December.

Its job was to comb through the majority of the city's $121.9-million general fund and find ways to curb spending.

Nathan Hightower, a local attorney and the task force chairman, said if the city carried out every suggestion then it could probably save somewhere in the "$10-to-$15-million range."

But some of the reductions would be good for only one year, so the overall cost would be much less.

He didn't know how many jobs would be lost, and conceded that the partial focus on employee benefits "may be one of the more controversial recommendations we are making."

Hightower said the task force initially went into the meetings "thinking that there was all kinds of fat to cut," but realized later a "sizeable amount was muscle."

Fast Facts:

Ideas for cutting costs

An 11-member board of residents charged with finding ways to slim down the city's annual spending plan, came up with 16 recommendations. Among its ideas:

-Consider capping increases in city spending to inflation plus 1 percent.

-The city should have a moratorium on new buildings, and instead provide services in existing facilities.

-Cut employee costs by capping pay raises and health benefits and offering alternative retirement plans.

-Use reserves to help pay the city's 2008 pension costs.

-Reduce hurricane insurance for city facilities.

-Eliminate the beach library branch or consolidate it with another facility.

-Limit employees' ability to take home city vehicles.

-Evaluate the city's fleet for possible reductions.

-Consolidate public communication departments.

-Cut parks and recreation spending by 5 percent

-Institute some type of volunteer firefighter service program.

-Review annual contribution programs to places like Ruth Eckerd Hall.

[Last modified April 5, 2007, 23:37:49]