Mayor Announces Furloughs, Pay Cuts

Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson will use pay reductions and work furloughs to cut more than $2 million from the city budget.Louisville is facing a $20 million shortfall for the remainder of the fiscal year. On Friday, Abramson said all non-essential employees will be furloughed without pay on the Fridays after Christmas and New Years and before the Kentucky Derby. Abramson says he’s not planning more furloughs after that.“You know at this stage, three days is what we will be working with our employees to take and we don’t see any reason to go beyond those three at this point in time," hesays But if that 20 million jumps to 25 million or 28 million, all bets are off.”In addition to the furloughs, the Mayor and his leadership team will take 10 percent pay cuts from January through June. That, combined with the hiring freeze is expected to save the city $2.6 million.While more furloughs are unlikely, Abramson says layoffs are possible. However, he hopes to keep essential and social services budgets intact.“This is not the time to cut the community ministries," he says. "This is not the time to cut Dare to Care. This is not the time to cut any of those programs that are more than every before going to be called on because of the difficulty so many families are going through in this community.”:13Abramson says he will announce more cost-cutting measures after Thanksgiving.