New Haven Independent

Posted by: robn | February 3, 2009 8:54 AM

If the union activists can find potentially excess expenditure in the budget and educate the public about it, then more power to them. If they can't and residents just can't afford the tax hikes required to pay for every city employee then thats another reality.

Posted by: City Hall Watch | February 3, 2009 10:49 AM

Taxpayers can't afford it and it is correct to lay the blame at the mayor's feet. Having said that, the public works people are the lowest paid, least appreciated folks on the city payroll. They do some of the most important work too - fixing sidewalks, pothole repair, park maintenance and so on. There are many places to cut the budget - public works should see the least of them. Mayor: Look down the Hall - you can see savings right from your perch next to that new and unneeded armoir.

Posted by: jawbone | February 3, 2009 12:24 PM

The mayor probably believes that employees in the public works departement are the least able to defend themselves. Perhaps that is true.
It illustrates the same kind of thinking that locates garbage dumps and jails in poor neighborhoods.

Posted by: ROBN | February 3, 2009 1:25 PM

Theres been so much blabbin about unneccesary positions (polititcal appontements) on this site, I'd love to see some study about what exactly those are, who they are and what they do.

Posted by: City Hall Watch | February 3, 2009 2:31 PM

Robn: That's a great question - don't look for that to be acted upon. It would likely scare the hell out of taxpayers. I also maintain the city just tries to do too much. It comes up with an idea, finds seed funding for a year and then it goes on the taxpayer funded side of the ledger and we're handed the bill. There needs to be a clear understanding about what are core services, what that entails with fully loaded costs. The rest of it is fluff and things or programs you would like to do if you had the money. There is never any discussion like that, I promise you, in City Hall. It's all about revenue and how do we keep all these balls in the air.

Posted by: tj | February 3, 2009 6:38 PM

i have been a member of the UE until the company i worked for closed....UE is a strong union and city officals watch out here it comes..the people run this union..they don't fear at all....
as city hall watch said Mr Mayor look around your building you can find a lot to cut...

Posted by: stptia | February 3, 2009 8:29 PM

From the looks of our streets we've already slashed this crew! Time to invest in Firestone!!!

Seriously, all the unions members in this city need to start educating the public on who they are and what they do. In specifics. Why does the city owe anyone a job? Seems only fair.

Problem with the unions is they think they deserve a job simply because they made it 90 days without getting canned. But now times are getting tough and it will be givebacks or layoffs.

The math is real simple.

Posted by: Paul | February 4, 2009 6:56 PM

Why is that when there is a finacial crisis in a city or town, the first response is, Lets get the Unions to give back. We get tired of being the solution to problems that we don't create. The Mayor could have forgone or lessened his $16,000 pay raise. The blue collar union workers do so much work for the public, they keep your roads cleaned of snow and ice in the winter(sometimes working 36 or more hours at a time. They get paid for that work but I can tell you that it is blood money. You never fully recover from the pounding you take in a dump truck. They fix roads, sidewalks, pick-up your trash and so much more. Imagine if your trash couldn't be picked up every week because of budget cuts. Now you have to wait two weeks or more before the city workers could pick up your trash. That's just one example. I think if the Mayor loked around in all his departments he could find so much top heavy departments in his goverment. You can get rid of a couple of top paid managers or assistant mangers instead of having to eliminate 4 or more lesser paid blue collar workers. It makes sense to me to do that unless these are the mayors friends or friends of friend type of mangers.

Posted by: BrotherJohnny82 | February 5, 2009 5:35 PM

It's refreshing to see the back and forth in these comments, all too often there seems to be an "us vs. them" attitude regarding govt. workers.
In times like these with most people feeling the pain of high prices,taxes,layoffs or pay cuts I find it sad that most companies,cities,towns,and now the state seem to go after the "workers" first and people seem to have a bloodlust and applaud these moves, like blaming the auto industry woes on the Union workers.
Where is the common sense we used to have? Obscene bonuses and perks given for "reaching the target number" or other scheme, even when the company or Government is bleeding red ink, but no accountability for poor performance or bad decisions. All workers, taxpayers and citizens should demand accountability, whether it's from the guy that picks up your garbage or the gal that's supposed to be safeguarding your investments. How people stand by while "working stiffs" that do the work or make the product and can hardly make ends meet, lose their jobs while the ones above them that got the company or Govt. into the mess sacrifice nothing really irks me. Why should the workers have to justify their jobs? You see what they do, it's tangible. Ask those that get paid to make the plans, balance the budget or ledger, and run a profitable business or Govt. to do that. It's their job! Or what you elected and pay them to do! Don't forget governments aren't business, they aren't supposed to make a profit, the plan is supposed to be to provide the community services, keep you safe, etc. They're getting driven around in fancy cars at our expense, workers should be the LAST to be cut, not the first. How is the company going to do work without enough workers. My point is the people that got paid to see this all coming or for making bad decisions are still the ones making the decisions now. Is it any wonder the predictions are that things will only get worse? Take a stake in helping things to get better, Thank the guy that picks up your trash, don't call for his head, buy stuff from local companies, their your neighbors' business and they have a stake in your community. Use your right to vote and ask the candidates tough questions and read what their positions are, don't vote for them because their "cute" or because their Irish, Italian, Jewish, Black, White or Hispanic or cause it seems like they didn't do a bad job. Wake up your job may be next on the chopping block! Maybe that same type of resistance showed by those Chicago workers is what's needed- resist the greed, resist the double talk, resist the temptation to accept bogus plans that can't work, Demand Services, Demand Justice, Demand Accountability, Demand you get what you paid for, nothing more nothing less......... Go New Haven workers- we're watching you