Peekskill Threatens Police/Fire Layoffs

[INIT915 1,119]

http://peekskill.patch.com/articles/peekskill-budget-plan-calls-for-elimination-acting-city-manager-position

Havranek released a $35.6 million budget proposal that calls for the elimination of 31 full-time and 9 part-time positions spread throughout city hall, the police and fire departments and the department of public works.

[BFD1054 1,552]

Very crappy news as I have many friends in the PFD, PPD and DPW.

Rumor has it there will be a rally at City Hall on Tuesday night. If any Peekskill guys know if this will happen, keep us posted.

I would love to come out and support my fellow Teamsters, as well as all other Peekskill employees.

[SSweet88MonteSS 0]

Yes, let's cut public safety positions, especially police, from a place like Peekskill. Wasn't there an as-yet-unsolved homicide there Wednesday night?

This has "great idea" written all over it!

[BFD1054 1,552]

Yes, let's cut public safety positions, especially police, from a place like Peekskill. Wasn't there an as-yet-unsolved homicide there Wednesday night?

This has "great idea" written all over it!

While I totally agree with you, there were arrests made in connection with that homicide.

But yes, Peekskill needs all of its services, certainly not less.

[SSweet88MonteSS 0]

I didn't see the recent news regarding the arrests. I guess I should read lohud.com more than emtbravo?

[newsbuff 286]

And they just had a fire last night, too.

[Bnechis 3,961]

The current municipal economics in NYS is no longer sustainable, so It does not matter if they need the personnel or not they can no longer afford it.

I have been writting that this was coming for the last 5 years and almost no one wanted to make any changes to prevent it from happening.

I feel very sorry for the employees, thier families, the coworkers who are left holding the bag and the commuity, but this is going to continue every year in more and more communities until we rework the entire way government is structured and funded in NYS.

Its going to be a long and painful slide.

[MoFire390 118]

I find it hard to believe that the City of Peekskill blew something like 6.5million dollars on vacant properties that where owned by friends of the mayor and city council. As a resident of peekskill I am greatly worried about this. And have expressed such to the mayor. Maybe if she took a pay cut as well as other high city seats then these jobs would be saved.

Sorry just my thoughts from an angry city resident

[Remember585 815]

I find it hard to believe that the City of Peekskill blew something like 6.5million dollars on vacant properties that where owned by friends of the mayor and city council. As a resident of peekskill I am greatly worried about this. And have expressed such to the mayor. Maybe if she took a pay cut as well as other high city seats then these jobs would be saved.

Sorry just my thoughts from an angry city resident

Kenny, the Mayor makes peanuts in comparison to actual full-time city employees. For 2012 she's only made less than $14,000 (according to seethroughny.net).

Pet projects, uncountable consultant fees and poor budget management has ruined so many municipalities. I can't speak for Peekskill, but a lot of communities - specifically mine - keep hiring people to do things that were always done by others who "couldn't handle all of their tasks." Managers, Assistant Managers, redundant services from one town to the next - it's all ingredients for the economical demise of New York's municipalities. Add in all of this plus decaying infrastructure that never was maintained until failure or near-failure - and we're where we are now. Barry is spot on that the time is upon us to consolidate services - and probably high time to explore the consolidating of municipalities, school districts and fire districts. If we don't things are only going to get worse.

I know guys in almost every department in Peekskill - and I truly hope nobody has to lose their jobs. Especially the ones in PD & FD - I always hate seeing emergency services folks being considered as "line items" during budget cuts.

[XCAPT133 2]

PEEKSKILL — The city will cut about 30 jobs and hike taxes by about 6 percent in an effort to stave off the effects of a higher-than-expected pension bill from Albany, Mayor Mary Foster said.

The jobs will likely come from the clerical and administrative areas of city government and come after the city’s workforce has already been decreased by 10 percent due to retirement and attrition, she said.

[x129K 1,393]

RUMOR has it Poughkeepsie isnt far behind..............fingers crossed and praying.

[gamewell45 258]

RUMOR has it Poughkeepsie isnt far behind..............fingers crossed and praying.

Lets hope that it stays just that, a rumor and nothing else.