Budget layoffs strike hard

Around Tampa's City Hall there is a heavy human toll to pay for a leaner government.

By JANET ZINK
Published June 29, 2007

Mayor Pam Iorio (right) answers questions about layoffs from the City of Tampa's budget that are needed to trim $15-million from the bottom line.
	[Times photo: Brian Cassella]

TAMPA - Mayor Pam Iorio laid off 121 full-time city employees and eliminated 133 part time and seasonal jobs and 115 other vacant posts Thursday to trim $15-million from the city's bottom line.

The layoffs came in response to the Florida Legislature's recent action to force local governments to cut property tax revenue.

All but 17 of the jobs targeted are paid out of the general fund. About 40 percent of the general fund comes from property taxes.

"We recognize the public wants lower property taxes, " Iorio said. "So we have to shrink the size of our city government."

Iorio pointed out the layoffs and job eliminations included one director, four deputy directors and six managers.

"These cuts are across the board, " she said.

Among those losing their jobs: Bill Doherty, deputy director of code enforcement; Creative Industries manager Paul Wilborn; transportation manager Roy LaMotte; historic preservation manager Del Acosta; and police Major Carl Davis.

In all, the city trimmed 69 management and professional posts.

Employees notified today have 90 days before they have to leave their city jobs.

Iorio said the cuts were designed to protect essential services and focused on what she called the "nice to have category."

The parks and recreation department was the hardest hit, with 34 people losing their jobs, 66 vacant positions eliminated and another 101 part-time and seasonal positions axed.

"What you're going to find this year and in coming years is that many of those quality of life services happen to fall in the parks and recreation department. The arts and crafts. Do you have that? No. Is it something people like to do? Yes, " she said. "That's the tough job we're going to have in the coming years."

All cuts in the police and fire departments were to administrative and civilian positions.

The Police Department lost 47 positions, with the greatest impact to the crime prevention bureau, where eight officers will transfer from their desk jobs to patrols, and six civilian positions were eliminated.

The fire department cut 14 positions, including three desk jobs held by firefighters who will be transferred to field positions.

"There will be no impact on emergency response, " said fire Chief Dennis Jones.

The layoffs will cause a cut in services provided by parks and recreation. These include a tennis program at Hillsborough Community College and summer reading programs. Riverfront Pool, which has been closed for the past year, will be closed permanently. Lopez Pool in West Tampa also will be closed.

Parks and recreation director Karen Palus said the department is looking at increasing fees to prevent further service cuts.

"Our fees are extremely low, " she said.

For example, the city charges about $70 for its 9- to 11-week summer camps.

The mood at City Hall was grim Thursday afternoon.

In the transportation division, employees pored over handouts from Iorio's news conference to announce the layoffs.

"Holy cow!" exclaimed traffic engineer Jonathan Scott, when he learned his boss, Roy LaMotte, was among those targeted.

Loralee Morrow, in the Growth Management and Development Services Department, described Thursday as "the freakiest day ever." She and her co-workers monitored the television news for details on the cuts.

"There are a lot of great, talented people who are leaving, " said City Council member Linda Saul-Sena. She described Acosta as a passionate advocate of historic preservation.

"It's a really sad day for the city of Tampa, " said council member John Dingfelder. "Tax relief sounds like a good thing in the abstract, but when you put a human face on it it's much more difficult task."

He noted that LaMotte was hired three years ago by the city and moved to Tampa from Massachusetts with his family.

"He's someone we and the neighborhoods deal with on a regular basis, " Dingfelder said. "It's like an extended family."

Iorio said LaMotte is being encouraged to apply for another job in the Public Works Department.

"This will ultimately be good for the taxpayers, " Iorio said.

Iorio said she still needs to cut another $5-million from the city budget, but that will come through operational cuts. Pay raises will be carefully considered, as well as support for non-profit organizations, she said.

The city budgeted more than $3-million for nonprofits this year.

"We are going to look at all the subsidies, " she said. "They provide important services, too, but we also recognize we can no longer afford to subsidize them at the same rate we have been. We're going to try to find a balance there."

No more layoffs are planned, she said, though the size of the city payroll will probably continue to shrink through attrition and unfilled vacancies.

Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or 813 226-3401.

Where local governments are cutting

A summary of expected cuts in the wake of the state's property tax rollback.

Tallying job cuts

Job Total cuts city jobs*

Clearwater 88 1, 800

Tampa 369 5, 000

St. Petersburg 88 3, 000

* Totals are approximate. Tampa's cuts include 133 part-time and seasonal jobs, and St. Petersburg's cuts includes 18 part-time jobs.

By the numbers

Number of positions eliminated: 236 full-time and 133 part-time and seasonal, out of approximately 5, 000 total jobs.

Total savings to general fund, 40 percent of which comes from property taxes: $14-million.

Cut as percentage of 2007 general fund: 4 percent.

Total savings to portion of budget derived from grants, fees and other sources: $1-million.

Cut as percentage of that portion of the 2007 budget: 0.3 percent.

Top positions eliminated, including salaries and benefits:

Deputy Director, contract administration, $140, 110

Police major, administration, $135, 563

Deputy Director, Public Works, $133, 162

Creative Industries Manager, $128, 971

Deputy director, Code Enforcement, $126, 584

Director, Community Affairs, $120, 807

Deputy director, Technology and Innovation, $120, 069

Number of positions eliminated: 236 full-time and 133 part-time and seasonal, out of approximately 5, 000 total jobs.

Total savings to general fund, 40 percent of which comes from property taxes: $14-million.

Cut as percentage of 2007 general fund: 4 percent.

Total savings to portion of budget derived from grants, fees and other sources: $1-million.

Cut as percentage of that portion of the 2007 budget: .3 percent.

Top positions eliminated, including salaries and benefits:

Deputy Director, contract administration: $140, 110

Police major, administration: $135, 563

Deputy Director, Public Works: $133, 162

Creative Industries Manager: $128, 971

Deputy director, Code Enforcement: $126, 584

Director, Community Affairs: $120, 807

Deputy director, Technology and Innovation: $120, 069

[Last modified June 29, 2007, 00:39:04]