Posted on 03/17/2011 6:25:41 PM PDT by dragnet2
Officials aim to contract work out to curb future pension obligations and eventually close a budget gap. A union leader says the city didn't try to negotiate other options. Workers are shell-shocked, and one dies in an apparent suicide.
Costa Mesa has sent layoff notices to nearly half of its employees in a dramatic austerity program being closely watched by other cities struggling with ballooning pension obligations.
The move was sharply criticized by union leaders, and it stunned city employees, one of whom apparently committed suicide by jumping off Costa Mesa City Hall hours after layoff notices went out Thursday.
The six-month termination notices affect 213 of the city's 472 full-time employees and cut across departments: firefighters, maintenance workers, jail staff, even dogcatchers.
Costa Mesa is among hundreds of local governments around the country facing massive future shortfalls in what they owe retirees. This year's tab — $15 million out of the city's $93-million budget — is estimated to grow to more than $25 million within five years.
"Clearly they are trying a new model," said Stuart Drown, executive director of the Little Hoover Commission, a bipartisan state public policy oversight agency. "A city that lays off half its staff — by any standard that's got to be considered a big move."
Costa Mesa "appears to have gone with the nuclear option," said Joe Nation, a professor of public policy at Stanford University
Faced with an unprecedented pension and retiree healthcare crisis, "cities are being forced to look at things that would've been unthinkable before," he said.
Controversy over public employee pensions and benefits has roiled state and local governments in recent months
Conservatives have attacked longstanding and seemingly unassailable perks won by public employee unions, and unions have struck back, unleashing bitter battles in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and elsewhere
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
He knew picketig wouldn’t support his family.
Well I hope you grubby, dirty, greedy, filthy taxpayers are happy!
/sarc
” one dies in an apparent suicide. “
One way to put the pension plan in solvancy!!!
The government employees, especially the younger ones like this poor man who aren't close to retirement, should be smart enough to see the huge flashing red warning lights and get out if they can.
Ultimately his death was his decision alone. But lots of groups can share the guilt for establishing a system guaranteed to fail.
Part of Barry’s “new norm”. The commies are running the planet now. We’re going to have to live by their rules. Kiss freedom and liberty goodbye. Our asses are belong to the commies now.
Then people could hate him for being unemployed instead of hating him for being a government employee.
Hopefully all the laid off people in Kalifornia won’t show up in Texas.
There are too many of the jackwagons here now.
“Jeez the guy could have collected unemployment until he was 32.”
Since he was a city employee they don’t pay into unemployment so he doesn’t qualify!
1) It depends on the cost of living, and the amount of unemployment benefits.
2) Many people went into government work on the basis of the implied guarantee of employment for life; some because they are sick of layoffs, some because they might not get employed in the private sector so very readily.
If the suicide jumper were one of the latter group, he might have looked at his long-term job prospects and potential for bankruptcy or worse, and decided suicide was his best option.
Note, by the way, that this is taking place -- horror of horrors -- under a Democrat governor and legislature.
They can't hang this around Reagan's, Bush's, Ah-nold's, or Sarah Palin's neck.
Prayers up for the next-of-kin...
I’m from the government and I’m here to heeeeeeeeelp.
Sadly, he had an existence not a life.
In this economy bad things may happen to you. It’s happened to me and I don’t think about jumping. Or for equally cowardly reasons taking it out on someone else.
Times are hard. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
So you are fired. It’s not worth your life because someone doesn’t want to pay you. It happens all the time in the business world.
In the GOV world you are fixed for life. Right?
They lied to me! True, but don’t jump.
Unless you have insurance.
We told all the illegals the approaching radiation plume will cause them to grow horns and their babies will have two heads...Get ready for your new arrivals muchacho.
I had no idea.
Bingo. Many of us didn't get advance notice of being laid off either. Entire offices are being "laid off."
As a matter of fact, the last four businesses I worked for have all shuttered their doors and closed. These are businesses that operated for decades. Democrats and republicans alike continue to play politics with amnesty, while American jobs are fast disappearing.
When my former ex company was exporting IT jobs to India (which they may still be doing), they did the layoffs in the US the US way. You’re here and the next minute you’re gone, kick in the butt, twenty some years on the job, Affirmative Action black one year on the job fires you, and you’re walked to the door by a security monkey. In the EU, because India is cheaper than EU as well, the company was forced by the local laws to give the IT guys 3 month notices. Who’s more civilized?
On the other hand, I'd just as soon keep workin', keep a little change in my pocket.
Welcome to the private sector!
He's cutting state funding to cities and counties.
This is Orange County and it’s a GOP controlled area. Both Right and Left areas are having this problem.
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