DETROIT — The city council will begin deliberating over a new budget proposal by Mayor Dave Bing next week that includes massive cuts to public employees, services and more.
About 2,500 positions are expected to be cut in all city departments to the tune of about $250 million if it passes according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.
Police officers will take 10 percent pay reductions if passed. The deficit will be reduced by $75 million due to consolidations in various departments.
Cuts would range from 13 percent for the fire department to 55 percent for the law department, and 44 percent for the mayor’s office. The fire department would take a cut of more than $23 million but retain 100 positions through a grant from the federal government.
Councilman James Tate and councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins pointed out cuts in the law department and health department as particularly troublesome.
The city has a deficit of $265 million according to the Free Press report, but it could potentially end with a surplus of $240 million if the plan goes through by 2015.
Michigan governor Rick Snyder also said recently that municipal bankruptcy is still not out of the question for Detroit. g
Leave a Reply