The budget put forward by Republican Governor John Kasich in March proposes a 37.5 million dollar cut for the city of Cleveland's two year budget, covering the rest of 2011 and 2012.
So the mayor's announcement of Cleveland job cuts and service reductions was expected to be brutal - and it matched the advance reports in every aspect.
Hardest hit will be the city's safety forces.
81 current patrol officers will lose their jobs.
42 cadets who were set to be hired when they graduate June 24 will not be.
One and two-man police patrols will be reduced in neighborhoods, while manpower in specialized units will be cut.
A police union representative said it defies logic that the department could lose that many personnel and keep the city safe. He cited figures that show crime has already increased in Cleveland since January - and that's before the announced cuts.
Fire services were just as hard hit. 51 firefighters will be off the job in two weeks, while 17 battalion Chiefs, Captains, and Lieutenants will be demoted - with according pay cuts.
Additionally, five fire companies will be closed - that's more than 12 percent of the existing companies. The mayor did not identify which units and which neighborhoods would suffer those losses.
But lowering city expenses goes beyond slashing cop and firefighter jobs. It also means Cleveland will be dirtier, harder to drive in, and offer a reduced quality of life.
That's because many services and benefits will be slashed: garbage pickup, road repair, street sweeping, and leaf pickup.
The Recreation Department will lose 79 workers, so rec centers will now close on weekends. Only certain playgrounds will be staffed. Summer lunch programs will be cut by 14-thousand meals. Swimming pools won't extend hours or open just because the temperature spikes...
An angered Mayor Jackson put the blame squarely on the state of Ohio, and Governor John Kasich.
But asked if he considered raising taxes on people who live or work in the city to compensate for the dollars lost - he responded with a strong "No".
MAYOR FRANK JACKSON:
{"You have a state government that says it's not going to raise taxes, and is going to reduce taxes to the wealthiest, to corporations, and their profits. And then say to local communities, after they devastate local communities' ability to maintain and deliver services.... 'Oh well.... you can... you can raise taxes.' Well, what sense does that make?"
City Council Public Safety Chair Kevin Conwell said last week that the Cleveland police union floated an idea of placing a quarter-percent "income tax" hike on the November ballot. That would boost the tax on workers in the city limits to 2.25% of their pay. Jackson killed that idea, saying it would chase away growth and investment in Cleveland.
Jackson also said the city worked with its' unions and department heads to keep the layoffs fewer than anticipated, by deciding that no 'open' positions will be filled. With the 321 layoffs, those cuts bring the actual jobs being lost to 446 city wide... more than 5% of the current staff.
Public Works bore the brunt of those additional losses, as that unit employs seasonal or part-time help. Those reductions will impact streets, parks, and property repairs.
Jackson stressed that this is permanent.... that these jobs - like so many others in Northeast Ohio - are just gone.
MAYOR FRANK JACKSON:
"This is not a temporary reduction. This is not a temporary solution. They have not given me a temporary budget cut from the state. This is a permanent reduction in staffing level."
Cleveland City Council released a statement supporting the mayor, and also re-iterating that the 35 million dollar cut from the state was unexpected and `forced' the city to make substantive cuts. The council also called on the Governor and General Assembly to restore funding to local governments statewide.
City workers being laid off this month were individually told Monday morning and afternoon.
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
