New Haven Independent

Posted by: jeffreykerekes | October 13, 2008 3:53 PM

Congrats Sergio on this suggestion. I think it is a great idea and not one I heard floated around this City before. The real cost in the budget is personnel related and so this would be a more substantial savings if it resulted in lower payroll across the entire city. This would be a much more substantial savings then just lights, heating, and related savings etc...

Posted by: Steven Ross | October 13, 2008 5:50 PM

Does this include the schools opening just 4 days a week? If yes, then two other factors need to be reviewed.

Can the kids concentrate enough to learn well with a longer schoolday.

Will there be more crime with bored teenagers on the streets for an extra day.

Posted by: robn | October 13, 2008 5:52 PM

great idea...how about sending the trash guys around every two weeks instead of every week. I rarely fill that blue monstrosity the city calls a garbage bin.

Posted by: David Streever | October 13, 2008 6:10 PM

I love it. People work so much for so little, let's cut back how much we work, & just be more productive.

Anyone who works in an office knows how much time is wasted, because you are stuck there constantly, & you just don't have the incentive in a 50+ hour week to work non-stop. Going from an office drone to a freelancer made me realize I could do a lot more in a lot less if I was focused and had as a goal not working 5 days a week.

Posted by: Chris C | October 13, 2008 8:34 PM

I think the city should start paying its employees what they are actually worth, instead of those insane hourly rates they get paid now.

Posted by: Joe | October 13, 2008 9:34 PM

If computers and lights are kept off unless people are in the office and working then this would save some money. If it also meant the elimination of any and all overtime it could save some money as well. The focus should be to encorage work to be completed within the 8 3/4 hour time frame with no overtime.

Posted by: st.pt.ia | October 13, 2008 10:52 PM

let's 86 the street sweeping and tow jobs too. NO reason to be allowing these shiny tow trucks all this biz. and we could stand to loose teh twice monthly parade of 3 sweepers and 2 city trucks with one person in each who come by wasting all that GAS. can't we just drive around the guy who forgot already. afterall, the only people making money on the towes are the tow truck rackets. these [guys] gotta go.

which leads me to something I've been wondering about lately. that is, all the excess energy all these city units are wasting. I walked by the downtown library the other night and i see all their computers are just left on over night. over the long weekend. isn't it better to be powering these things down at night? there are like 45 computers that the public can use at the downtown library. then the staff computers.

i know it is pocket change - but it adds up. day in day out. how many city computers are left on throughout the entire city? nobody is counting the pennies around here.

I saw some parks and recs guys last year putting up the christmas tree and they had like 3 trucks there and they were just running. it wasn't hot out or cold. these chowder heads just left their trucks running. Guess they figure it's not their gas to buy.

it all adds up. and again i ask: why do we need to have union cops standing around directing traffic at the yale work sites? seems we could go cheaper here. unless of course Yale is springing for that. yea right.

Posted by: David Streever | October 14, 2008 1:53 AM

I believe Yale IS paying for cops at their construction site, just as all other private construction is paying for cops at their construction sites.... just as clubs pay for cops, etc.

But I agree with you, the computers/etc should be off, & the trucks shouldn't be idling. It's an enormous waste of money/etc when you consider the sheer quantity of vehicles, computers, & lights on.

Posted by: Common Sense | October 14, 2008 5:47 AM

The city must save money. The places where most money is spent must be checked out first. Reduce the number of new schools being built. Build real schools not palaces.

Budget problem gone.

I think this is Johnny Boys idea. Smutts likes it so it must be. Rodriguez is just the front man.

It will be very popular with the workers. An extra day off a week and more time every day to take smoke breaks and coffee breaks and gossip. Those that live out of town even get to save on gas.

As usual the tax payer picks up the tab.

Posted by: Josh Smith | October 14, 2008 9:34 AM

Regarding police officers directing traffic at construction sites, let's finally put this to rest:

It is my understanding that, by law, if police are available, they must be used first at a construction site before a flagger to direct traffic. Either that or a police officer has to be offered to the site before the city offers the site a flagger. I know Chief Lewis said one of those two things, but I can't recall if the officer must be used if available or not.

Posted by: Walt | October 14, 2008 10:38 AM

Would rather have cops directong traffic, but not at the astronomical hourly rates being paid.

Anyone can direct traffioc after a few minutes taining, and these high cops' rates are most frequently on jobs,again paid for by our taxes

Another boondoggle negotiated by the Union with politicians's backing.

Should be paid minimum wage, except when my Grandson ( a suburban cop) happens to be on the payroll.

Posted by: Alphonse Credenza | October 14, 2008 12:08 PM

People won't work any harder -- they will accomplish less in 40 hours over 4 days than they would in 5.

Cut services, cut the education budget, lessen the debt service, reduce pensions. No one in the private world gets a pension any longer. Why a municipal employee? Let them save.

Posted by: FacChek | October 14, 2008 1:28 PM

You just can't sit home and dream up stuff better than this...
Saving money based on a four day work week!?!

This is not the first time Serigo has had a brain storm... after the passage of the 07/08 budget, Rodriquez proposed, and later asked the BOA for withdrawal, of his proposal to have the finance department report on the feasibility of determining the long range effect on the budget by reducing health care, pension and labor cost drivers. A very reasonable and sound request, which he later abandoned and then withdrew without comment.

Now this guy wants the board to explore the cost savings and feasibility of moving city government to a four-day workweek.

Common sense should tell this legislator that with the current long range labor contracts between the city and the unions, that this proposal is completely nonsensical, DOA (Dead on arrival.

Go back to sleep Serigo :+(

Posted by: nina | October 14, 2008 4:44 PM

it is true that money can be saved in a 4 day work week, don't equate being tied to your desk to productivity. from the city's perspective, there is savings. from mine, maybe time for a life, or family, or myself. nice idea. why, no matter how huge the rise in productivity, is america all about doing more work? what about life? is it that people don't want to be left alone with their thoughts? wouldn't know what to do with themselves given free time, or are all the nay sayers just the wealthy class who riches are a result of working peoples efforts?

Posted by: teachergal | October 14, 2008 4:53 PM

Steve wrote:
Does this include the schools opening just 4 days a week? If yes, then two other factors need to be reviewed.

Can the kids concentrate enough to learn well with a longer schoolday.

Yes, with creative scheduling it could work and maybe be better than the current system we now work in.

Will there be more crime with bored teenagers on the streets for an extra day.

Yes, as long as we continue to ignore their needs.

Posted by: The Hill | October 15, 2008 12:36 AM

I think alot of people would pay to see Smuts [fight] again. Johnny boy book the Fieldhouse, you will make 6 million or more in a one day!
Once a week someone different
Goldfield vs. Perez
Blango vs. Willie Greene
Sergio vs. Larry Amendola
Ron Smith vs. Bill Dixon
Smuts vs. the guy from East Haven.

Posted by: Common Sense | October 15, 2008 10:49 PM

First of all I am not the "Common Sense" that posted above. For many city employees going to a four day work week is something that they have many times during the course of the year. Before everyone jumps on the band wagon with the guise of saving taxpayers money one should review the many sections of city unions collective bargaining agreements. Paid holidays (at least 12 would account for a dozen four day work weeks). Add in sick leave (yes, there is abuse) and some employees do have unblemished sick leave records; and vacations days. Lets not forget at least two personal days and the unfortunate workers who incur job related injuries. We need to keep the workweek at five days to get the most of city services. Robn states "how about sending the trash guys around every two weeks instead of every week. I rarely fill that blue monstrosity the city calls a garbage bin." Robn needs to ride with our hard working Public Works Department and see what a difference the "blue monstrosity bins" make. Many of the bins are filled to capacity and are easily handled by the men. Robn can put her bin out every two weeks if she thinks its a waste of time. The taxpayers make many calls and visits to city departments. Reducing the workweek will only reduce the efficiency of city government and further frustrate the taxpayers.