The Hamilton County budget proposal calls for the elimination of 532 jobs along with some severe service cuts. Cuyahoga County Administrator Jim McCafferty says layoffs aren't planned here, but the workforce will be trimmed.
McCAFFERTY: What we're doing is an early retirement incentive program, and our goal is to get a thousand employees to leave this year. We're going to marry the early retirement with a hiring freeze, with a goal of moving from about 9500 county employees, down to almost 8000.
Individual communities within the county are under growing pressure to cut spending. Last week's trouncing of a school levy indicated that Parma voters are in no mood to raise taxes. Still, spokesperson Jack Marschall says city jobs are safe for the moment.
MARSCHALL: No layoffs are foreseen. We are keeping an eye on non-essential purchases, there's no new employees that are being hired.
Marschall says Parma has budgeted for flat tax receipts, but Mayor Dean Depiero is monitoring tax income on a week to week basis.
