Politics

Council questions layoffs

The Tampa City Council also is concerned about the mayor privatizing some services.

By JANET ZINK, Times Staff Writer
Published November 30, 2007

TAMPA - City Council members are questioning the mayor's decision to layoff 100 city workers and privatize some services.

Council member John Dingfelder said Thursday he understands that layoffs are in the hands of the mayor. But the council must approve the contracts.

He wants to know the gender, race and length of service of the affected employees, and how many of their family members rely on city health care benefits.

"The health care issue is extremely important," agreed council member Linda Saul-Sena.

On Nov. 14, the Mayor Pam Iorio announced a plan she dubbed "Changing the Business of Government" that included laying off 100 people, mostly among the janitorial and security staff.

Those services would be contracted out to the private sector.

The council scheduled a presentation by Iorio's staff about the layoffs for Dec. 20.

Council member Mary Mulhern said the board is "entitled to hear the justification" for Iorio's proposal for a second round of layoffs just five months after slashing more than 100 jobs.

Iorio said the measure would save the city $3.4-million a year. It's the first phase of a three-year program likely to result in even more layoffs, she said.

In June, 123 full-time city employees lost their jobs after property tax reform mandated by the Legislature forced Iorio to cut $20-million from the city's budget. Fifty-six of those people found other jobs within the city.

Martha Stevens, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1464, which represents more than 2,000 of the city's general employees, said most of the people who found other work in the city had high-paying jobs.

Those with lower pay found themselves out of work, Stevens said. Now, even more low-paid workers face the same fate.

"Every time there's a cut, it's cut from the bottom. Cut some of the fat from the top," Stevens said.

Janitorial workers earn about $31,000 a year, and security workers earn about $36,000.

"We just feel that the money they're going to save can be done some other way other than laying off these people," Stevens said.

Iorio said Thursday it's appropriate to brief the council on the plan, but more layoffs are inevitable given the likelihood of more property tax cuts that will reduce the city's revenue.

"If they're not willing to accept these cost savings, there will be other cost savings that will be made through the same process we made last year, which is going through the organization and eliminating positions," she said.

Janitorial and security are already mostly privatized, Iorio said, and her approach will save the city money without having an impact on services provided to residents.

Employees will have six months to find other work.

"We're treating everyone with a great deal of respect," Iorio said.

The City Council on Thursday also agreed to explore contracting with a budget analyst and setting up a citizens group to review budgetary matters, including those proposed by the mayor.

That will be part of a larger discussion scheduled for early next year to clarify what powers the city charter grants to the mayor and the council.

Iorio irked council members this year by sending a letter to Hillsborough County's state lawmakers saying "the city" didn't support changing the make-up of the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission, which now consists solely of county commissioners.

Iorio's letter came after the council voted unanimously to ask lawmakers to reconfigure the EPC so that Tampa would have seats on the board. Iorio's implication that she speaks for the city prompted charges from council members that the mayor overstepped the authority granted her by the city charter.

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

[Last modified November 30, 2007, 06:35:13]