San Jose Officials Warn of Massive Police and Fire Layoffs

Mercury News.com ^ | Feb. 17, 2011 | Sean Webby

[katiedidit1]

Sketching out a worst-case scenario of San Jose's budget meltdown, city officials warned this week that they could lay off as many as 349 police officers and 145 firefighters, slashing close to a quarter of the city's public safety employees.

The city is also looking at millions of dollars in other cuts, including shutting off neighborhood

streetlights for much of the night and eliminating some gang-prevention programs.

There has never been a major layoff of police officers in the city's modern history. But last year San Jose laid off 49 firefighters, and this is the second year in a row the Police Department has faced layoffs.

[Soothesayer9]

"There has never been a major layoff of police officers in the city's modern history."

Well there is always a first time (and cry me a f'ing river too).

[King Moonracer]

The people of San Jose should than their lucky stars that anyone wants to work for the police and fire departments. They have all given up being Silicon Valley bazillioaires to serve and protect, don’tch know. /sarc

[katiedidit1]

Great post! thanks for the info

[apoliticalone]

I don’t understand why, in view of these cuts to US citizens, we are giving 50 billion a year to other countries many of which have far less indebtedness per person than the USA. Some of which even have subsidized health care and college too.

Are we paying the same incompetent people to run our foreign aid that also protect our porous borders, who create give away our money and create more joblessness for Americans too?

We need to take our country back from politicians who don’t work in the interest of the USA.

[matt04]

I don’t think you that far from the truth with many government agencies or departments.

[Texas Eagle]

No the money has been siphoned for outrageous compensation,

Here are some examples of outrageous compensation.

Chief of Police $534,576?

Fire Chief $430,108?

Deputy Chief of Police $351,221.

Deputy Fire Chief $371,526.

Take a look at this chart and tell me what other compensation for City employees you find outrageous.

City of San Jose 2010 Employees Salaries

[businessprofessor]

You make a good point. These salaries are outrageous. So are the pensions. Unfortunately, they will collect pensions for decades.

[investigateworld]

Preach it Brother!

[katiedidit1]

Agree with you..it’s as if foreign aid is the “sacred cow” the amounts we give to foreign nations that detest us is astronomical...and yet, it is seldom mentioned by the dems or republicans.

[denydenydeny]

This scenario has been mentioned numerous times by other posters. When faced with budgetary constraints, they don't slash pensions, bennies, and bloated bureaucracies... they cut essential services to “teach” the insolent public a lesson.

Exactly.

[Liz]

When faced with budgetary constraints, the govt PTB don't slash monstrous govt pensions, bennies, and bloated govt bureaucracies... they cut essential services to “teach” the insolent public a lesson.

Amen. That nails it but good.

From all we've read about unions, I conclude they have set up a separate, surreptitious govt that controls and sucks up monies from those who are not in the union---AKA Taxpayers.

All of these unions operate against the principles of democracy to the detriment of our republic.

Unions are truly the enemy within.

[Condor51]

*** From all we've read about unions, I conclude they have set up a separate, surreptitious govt that controls and sucks up monies from those who are not in the union---AKA Taxpayers. ***

For all gubmint Unions I agree. I could never quite get why our 'Public Servants' would need a union, or should be allowed to unionize in the first place. After all they: Work. For. Us.

However as to Construction Trade Unions, IMO we do need them. They go through a long apprenticeship and deliver an excellent (and safe) finished product. (I can't believe I just said that?)

*** All of these unions operate against the principles of democracy to the detriment of our republic. ***

Yep. Unions by their own charters are Socialistic -- they all have their, 'Minimum Wage Scale'. This means some moron makes the same wage as a person with brains and ability to advance, but he can't advance on his own. Per the union he is 'equal' to the moron, and the moron to him. Ergo, there's no incentive to put in a little more effort.

As being a detriment to our Republic just look at all the damage that unions like the UAW & USW (United Steelworkers Union) did to their own members, the Companies that employed them and the US Economy.

• The UAW: Once upon a time America had Car companies called Nash, Rambler, Studebaker and Packard. The UAW soon put an end to them. And an end to the economies of the cities where they were located. BUT! For a couple years the workers got what they and their Bosses demanded. (I won't even get into the CRAPPY CARS that the remaining US Automakers now put on the road, all thanks to the UAW).

• The USW: The Steelworkers Union KILLED US Steel and made Gary, Indiana a ghost town. US Steel also had plants (Mills) in Chicago. All those are gone plus smaller Steel Mill Companies on the SE Side of Chicago. And iirc Pittsburgh, PA also got it in the end thanks to the Steelworkers Union and they KILLED that city too. But again, the Steelworkers got what 'they wanted'. Worked out okay for a few years.

*** Unions are truly the enemy within. ***

Right again. That's why the 'AFL-CIO' wasn't always the 'AFL-CIO'. As the 'CIO' was started and Run by Communists and the 'AFL' wanted no part of them. It wasn't until the CIO purged itself of the Communists that they merged.