Where Have All The City Employees Gone?

The short answer is... out the door. Due to an ever increasing budget shortfall, the City of Reno has implemented yet another round of employee layoffs. Effective May 6, up to 200 more city workers will be headed for the exits in order to bridge a $5.2 million revenue gap for the current fiscal year. With a combination of layoffs, retirements, and positions going unfilled or eliminated, around 300 jobs will be gone by June 30. Come the beginning of the 2010-2011 fiscal year on July 1, more layoffs are likely as the Reno City Council must account for another $30 million that will evaporate from the city's income stream.

Every city department is feeling the pain. Police and fire are losing positions, right along with public works and parks. You'll be waiting longer for a cop and neighborhood fire stations will experience periodic closures. Get used to more potholes in the streets and if you like our city parks, think about volunteering to help with their upkeep.

I only hope the city government is learning from all this. When the local economy starts growing again, how about if you Reno City Council members proceed with caution rather than expanding like the sky's the limit?

Sources: City of Reno, Reno Gazette-Journal.

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