Long Beach Mulls Police Cuts, Layoffs
LONG BEACH (CBS) - Facing an $18.5 million budget hole and running out of ways to save the jobs of police officers, firefighters and other city workers, the Long Beach City Council will meet to discuss potential layoffs.
For a second straight year, workers may forgo promised pay raises if nine public employee unions agree to terms proposed by the city.
Councilman Gary DeLong speaks with KNX 1070's Dick Helton, Jack Popejoy, and Vicky Moore
Even if the cutbacks are approved, 27 police officers would be laid off, some
fire stations would be left unstaffed for periods of time, and other major cuts
would have to be made, city officials told the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
But if public employees reject the pay freeze, 76 cop positions would
lose their funding. Other departments would also be hit hard.
Police salaries make up 49 percent of Long Beach's general fund
expenditures, and the police union president has told the Press-Telegram that
his members will not agree to pay freezes.
The council will meet to discuss budget matters at 3:30 p.m. today, and
has until Sept. 15 to reach a final budget. With about 495,000 residents, Long
Beach is California's sixth-largest city, and is the second-largest city in Los
Angeles County.
