During the first few month of FitzGerald's term that began in January, two rounds of layoffs came with very public announcements. But the County Executive has quietly and continually made other cuts... He says about 150 people have left county employment since his inauguration, but the actual reduction in force has been somewhat less, and the resulting savings modest.
FITZGERALD:
"of the150 that have left, there've been 30 or so positions that were required that the new government had to fill...charter created or not eliminated through attrition, so the net amount is about 120 employees less, and that ends up being about $10M."
FitzGerald says the cuts haven't had as visible an impact as you might expect
FITZGERALD:
" I don't think the public has seen it at all - and after we're done with the entire process, the taxpayers will actually see more county services than before, even though there are fewer employees. If somebody is a back-room administrator, and we're able to combine that or be more efficient because of technology or their position wasn't necessary in the first place... It's not gonna be pleasant for that person, and I don't take that lightly....but the public is not going to see it."
FitzGerald is empathetic when talking about reducing staff. He says figuring out what positions to eliminate is not so difficult, but knowing the human consequences makes laying people off the least enjoyable part of his job.
FITZGERALD:
" Every cut you make is affecting a family, and a human being. I know some of these people that we've laid off - personally. And I've had people come into the office and literally beg to keep their positions. That is not pleasant. It's much worse for them than for me, but nobody enjoys being in that position. So it was more on a human level than saying this particular position is a difficult position to eliminate. We haven't gotten to the point in the county yet where I'm eliminating positions where philosophically I don't believe in eliminating positions... We're not there yet."
As to what further cuts are in store, Fitzgerald says there is no 'definitive' answer- except that he'll stay flexible.
FITZGERALD:
"We don't know what the future's going to hold. If the economy does a double dip recession or something, then maybe we'll get to the point of actually making cuts that I hate to do it, and it's gonna affect residents services, but I have to do it anyway. I haven't reached that point - and I hope we don't. I hope we don't."
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
