City and unions still about $20 million apart in concessions to save 141 jobs
By Dave Toplikar
The city of Las Vegas might have to start considering hiring private contractors to replace more highly paid city employees in the future, says Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
"We look to privatization to replace city employees who are functioning, but at a salary level that is higher than perhaps the private sector would provide to us," Goodman said at this morning's Las Vegas City Council meeting. "But we don't have any choice but to look at that as an alternative. It's not a threat. It's just a fact".
Goodman made those remarks after hearing a presentation from city staff about the status of talks with the four unions that represent the 3,300 employees concerning pay cuts that would help the city trim its budget for the 2010 fiscal year.
The city staff had just given a report detailing how far away the city's four employee unions are to meeting the city's request in concessions, which would save 141 employees' jobs.
The city's goal — which includes no cost-of-living increase for all employees, plus an 8 percent salary cut — is to trim $29.7 million from the budget.
However, the unions' offers have amounted to only a $10 million cut, leaving a $19.7 million difference, according to City Manager Betsy Fretwell and Mark Vincent, the city's chief financial officer.
After the presentation, Mayor Oscar Goodman urged the city's negotiators and the unions to keep working toward closing that gap.
Goodman said the alternatives to employee groups not accepting an 8 percent cut are to reduce city services and eliminate the jobs of 141 employees.
The council has approved a tentative budget that includes the job reductions after employees did not agree to the city's request of an 8 percent cut this year and next year. A final budget will need to be sent to the state on June 1.
"The window is closing quickly," Goodman said.
"The 8 percent is the number. I've been asked in press conferences, 'Is that in cement?' Nothing's in cement. But we have to get the 8 percent in order to make this into livable conditions, without losing the patient," Goodman said.
Las Vegas Sun
