Home  News Local News Over a thousand county jobs slashed
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Over a thousand county jobs slashed |
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Friday, 27 June 2008 |
Miami-Dade County Mayor, Carlos Alvarez announced Tuesday plans to cut 1,600 county jobs. The mayor also plans to reduce the county’s bus service significantly as the county struggles to close a $200 million gap in its 2008/2009 budget.
Alvarez, who made the announcements when he presented the county’s new $7.4 billion budget at a news conference, said people will get exactly what they have asking for – “a leaner government.”
The new budget, while cutting services like playground inspection, lifeguards, domestic violence counseling, and mosquito spraying, would also freeze the county’s overall tax rate. Now an average homeowner living in unincorporated Miami-Dade would save approximately $200 per annum as a result of larger tax exemptions approved by voters in January.
Alvarez announced that spending reductions have been identified “for virtually every county department.”
To facilitate the staff cuts, a number of positions in the county’s offices have been eliminated. Of the 1,600 positions about 1,000 are currently filled. However, it has been reported that many of the employees in these positions could be offered other jobs in the county from existing vacancies. Nonetheless a high number is still expected to be laid off, despite Alvarez promise to ensure that no one loses their jobs.
Now every department within the county administration will be required to cut administrative spending by $50 per employee, resulting in a saving of $1.4 million across the county government.
The cuts in bus services, driven by high fuel costs, involve reducing the county’s bus service by 14 percent over the next year.
The new budget offers increase in expenditure for public safety, health and human service, enabling strategies (including expenses for elections, technology, and auditing), and culture and recreation. The largest cuts were in the areas of economic development and in the development and maintenance of neighborhoods.
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