The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Faced with a City Council that doesn't like the idea of a new $16-per-month trash and recycling fee, city officials on Tuesday unveiled two alternatives that would call for more layoffs and cutbacks.
One option w ould involve laying off 80 city employees, in addition to the 40 or so who will lose their jobs if the proposed budget is approved. The other option calls for a $3-per-month trash and recycling fee and about 35 more layoffs.
City Manager William Harrell said Tuesday he is still supporting a $16-per-month fee to pay for rising trash disposal fees charged by Southeastern Public Service Authority, which could collapse without an influx of cash.
City Councilwoman Debbie Ritter said she thinks the budget can be balanced without the fee. She also thinks major layoffs can be avoided. "I think there are other options," she said. "There are always other options."
The new options both include about $2.1 million in newly considered cuts, including two furlough days that would save the city $700,000. The options also include closing city libraries on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, eliminating tuition assistance for employees, and eliminating mental-health vouchers for residents in need.
Even with those cuts, there would still be a $4.1 million hole without the new $16-per-month fee, city officials told the council. That would mean 82 layoffs in order to balance the budget, officials said.
A $3-per-month trash and recycling fee would raise an additional $2.3 million, officials said, leaving a gap of $1.8 million. That would mean 36 layoffs.
City administrators say they are still trying to identify other budget options.
Chesapeake is considering a slight expansion to a retirement incentive program. So far, only 20 of about 200 eligible employees have volunteered, officials said.
The council was handed a one-page sheet detailing how Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach are handling their budget issues.
"I think this is a work in progress," Ritter said. "Between now and the time the budget is adopted, there will be a lot of options and a lot of iterations."
Mike Saewitz, (757) 222-5207, mike.saewitz@pilotonline.com
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
Can't afford addition trash disposal fee
We live in Great Bridge and just paid a LOT of money last year in the amount of $5,000 up front, to get city water/sewage in our neighborhood. Just recently paid to have it hooked up from the street to our house at the cost of $1800. The remaining $12,000 will be split up over the next 20 years, yes 20 years, in our water bill in the amount of $33.00 on top of the water bill. Our homeowners insurance just swent up over $100 this year. My husband is retired. We cannot afford $16/month if this goes through. Come on now.....How much more the city gonna bleed us?
Anne Beck
Albemarle Acres
waste on waste
There are plenty of ways to cut back service with out haveing a direct effect on people. Why does it take 3 trucks circling the block to remove my garbage while a supervisor sits in an idling pickup truck at the 7-11? If the cans were placed on one side of the street instead of both sides, that alone would cut that trucks fuel use by more than 50%.
Anytime the gov sets up an agency to do the job that should be done by private industry, LET THE TAXPAYER BEWARE.