Despite Growing Numbers, Oakland County May Impose Hiring Freeze
SOUTHFIELD (WWJ) - Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson presented his three-year budget to the Board of Commissioners Wednesday night. Calling it a "balanced" budget, Patterson proposed a hiring freeze and no employee raises until 2014.
Patterson said despite the rise in revenue, growth has been at a much slower pace.
"We see employment numbers going up at a steady pace. We'll probably do, somewhere in the range this year, probably 7,000 jobs. To the good, we'll have some losses but that gain, 7,000, next year 12,000, so we are back in the job creating business. Finally, after, you know, a decade of job losses," Patterson said.
And he also had something to say about the current financial crisis in Pontiac.
"I have, if I share responsibility to 1.2 million residents, not to expose the treasury recklessly. If Pontiac is headed toward bankruptcy, I gotta change the contract to protect my residents from getting hurt financially," Patterson said.
The County Board of Commissioners will vote on the budget next month.
In Patterson's speech, he said the county has been hit hard by declining home values and foreclosures, which topped 9,000 last year. Read more here.
