City of Spokane to Lay Off 116

The city of Spokane, Washington has notified some 116 employees of layoff notices as part of their ongoing work on the city’s 2011 General Fund Budget, where they are attempting to close a $12 million shortfall in 2011.  The notices went out to some 70 people who will have their positions eliminated entirely, while the rest are slated for demotion as result of the “bump-back” rights  by Civil Service rules.

Without wage and benefit changes, which the city is still discussing with employee bargaining units, Mayor Mary Verner’s proposed budget will include a 9 percent across-the-board reduction that will cut some 120 positions from the city’s General Fund departments.  About 50 of these are already vacant, due to the hiring freeze of the past year.

Other layoffs and eliminations are still possible as the Spokane Public Library and the Parks and Recreation Departments have not completed their budgets.  Mayor Mary Verner said, “This is a very sad day.  We are telling many good employees, with families who rely on them, that they may not have a job at the end of the year. The realities of this recession once again are clear and painful.”

The notices include, among others, 65 to the Police Department, 23 to the Street Department, 13 to the Fire Department, and 5 to the Building Services Department.