Cranston mayor plans police layoffs to save money
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Police Layoffs
Cranston says it may be forced to layoff police officers.
Mayor Allan Fung says he doesn’t want to have to lay anyone off.
Published: March 23, 2009
Updated: March 24, 2009
CRANSTON, R.I. - Cranston police officers could face layoffs unless the city council approves a cost-cutting plan.
Mayor Allan Fung faulted the City Council Monday for failing to approve a contract with the police officers’ union that he said would save nearly $1.4 million.
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Cranston is facing looming budget deficits as Gov. Don Carcieri threatens to reduce state funding for cities and towns and a deep recession drives down tax revenue.
While Fung and union officials agreed to the three-year pact, the city council wants to see exactly how far the state cuts city funding before making a decision.
Fung said the layoffs will begin March 30. The mayor’s spokeswoman said 11 jobs could be eliminated, with administrative positions targeted first.
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Reader Reactions
the mayor touts a 1.4 million dollar savings over the 3 year contract… however, 1.2 million of this is from the deferred hiring of 7 employees… at the end of the contract termination, they are again a political football…. how about having the police dept terminate/dissolve these positions, permanently!
also, if true that if monies are found in the general assembly in the future, the police can revisit these concessions and potentially make this contract null and void???
the bottom line… when the unions in cranston walk in lock step with their non union brethren, and share the real pain ‘we’ endure in these economically turbulent times, they will not get the sympathy they feel they deserve…..
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