Another Round Of Cuts By Grandholm

[Ejohnson]

From what I've been reading this week, the Gov. signed some bills for the state's budget that will cut funding for health care, education and Police/Fire departments once again. What's left to cut? She's all but eliminated the MSP (although I hear that's what she wants), she's cut public school funding and local PD's barely have enough to function.
Right now, I'm almost to the point of being too broke to move. If you see an old red station wagon in Battle Creek with a scruffy looking guy sleeping in the back, that might be me.

[WestMI]

From what I hear Grand Rapids will have a lot of layoffs by January 1st.

Kentwood City Commission cuts 21 employees, including firefighters, police to save $1 million
By Julie Makarewicz | The Grand Rapids Pres...
October 29, 2009, 12:36AM

Mayor Richard RootKENTWOOD -- Twenty-one Kentwood municipal employees find themselves without jobs today after the City Commission approved $1.045 million in budget cuts Wednesday night.

As Mayor Richard Root warned, cuts were made in nearly every department. He added the city's finances may only get worse in the next fiscal year.

The cuts approved Wednesday were mid-year cuts to the $27 million 2009-10 budget that ending June 30. Officials are also estimating the city could face a $2 million deficit for the 2010-11 fiscal year.

Besides lay-offs for 21 employees effective immediately, 11 vacancies will not be filled. The city employs 226.

Root proposed $1.26 million in cuts included eliminating five police officers and six firefighters. But the commission decided instead to lay off three police officers and three firefighters, at the request of 2nd Ward Commissioner Frank Raha.

"Everyone has to get down to what the core mission of the city is going to be: public safety, recreation, roads, economic development," he said.

"Not any one employee is more important than anyone else, but we've got to make some tough decisions."

Commissioners Sharon Brinks, at-large, and Mike Brown, 2nd Ward, voted against the proposal. Both said they wanted more time to consider concerns voiced by the employees and citizens in an overflowing City Hall.

"Rushing into a decision is not when I make the best decisions," said Brinks, who wanted to wait until the commission's Monday meeting to make a vote.

Instead of personnel cuts, some city employees believed there were other areas of the budget where cutbacks could be made.

Mike Abbott, the Kentwood Professional Firefighter's Union president, wanted to share other options.

Brian Berry, president of the Kentwood Police Officers Union, offered to sit down and look at other ways to make reductions rather than eliminating jobs.

Barb Larsson, a secretary for the treasurer and assessor's offices, said she thought the Kentwood General Employees Association's members would be willing to take a 10 to 15 percent pay cut, if it meant saving jobs.

The commission had the unenviable task of mid-year reductions because state revenue-sharing was reduced more than anticipated.

The city also got hit when state-equalized property values took an estimated 10 percent reduction.

That left city officials with the necessity of making $1.2 million to $1.7 million more in cuts.

"It's been a horrendously difficult process," Root said. "At least we know now where we're going."

[Ejohnson]

Sad, isn't it? And while we get laid off, the crime is going up. It may come down to everyone fending for themselves. I've had more than one person come to me and say they can't trust the Police to be there when they're in trouble.

[_GLOCK_]

Granholm is a horrible Governor, she has done nothing for this State!!!

[WestMI]

City of Grand Rapids just cut 41 Officers and 28 Firefighters. Time to look else where

[MI_CO]

I think its going to get a lot worse. Just wait till we release more of the "non-violent" prisoners, MPRI does not work.