Historic Metro Budget Calls for up to 125 Layoffs

Metro government has less money to spend in the coming year. Finance director Rich Riebeling calls a year-over-year loss in tax revenues historic.

In a presentation this morning to the Metro Council, Riebeling announced as many as 125 layoffs to meet declining revenues.

“This budget cannot be done, cannot be balanced without some sacrifice by Metro employees. It can’t be done. 80-plus percent of our budget is related to salaries and benefits.”

Up to 180 empty positions will also be eliminated under the proposal. Everyone else will have their pay frozen, along with bonuses for attendance and years of service.

As required by state law, Metro Schools will not be cut. The administration recommends flat funding at $620 million. The Metro Transit Authority will see the only increase in city government – $2.3 million for additional bus routes.

Police and Fire will lose less than 2% of their funding. Most other departments will see 10% cuts across the board, including Social Services, the Health Department and General Hospital.

At-large Councilman Jerry Maynard says the administration is overlooking those touched by the economic downturn.

“Those agencies that address people who are most vulnerable in this recession, they all receive a 10-percent cut.”

The Metro Council now has a chance to make revisions before passing the $1.5 billion budget by the end of June.