Final Budget Cuts Expected Soon

Mayor Jerry Abramson has more than $10 million left to trim from the budget to close a $20 million shortfall.This week the Teamsters union joined the Police, Corrections and Fire unions in saying no to Abramson’s suggestion that they forgo pay raises until the end of the fiscal year. Instead, the Teamsters have tentatively agreed to add furlough days. The other unions have also suggested cost cutting measures, and Mayor’s spokesperson Chris Poynter says those will be considered.“We’re looking at all those things that firefighters, Metro Council has also sent us a letter and then hopefully we will make decisions and have some announcements by later this week for the final budget cuts," he says.Poynter says the final cuts could include layoffs.“People are being laid of at Yum, they’re being laid off at National City, they’re being laid off, unfortunately, at the school system," he says "All that has a trickle-down effect on tax systems and trickle-down effect on the city.”Poynter says the Mayor may also announce more work furloughs and delays to capital projects