Desperate times require dramatic actions, Mayor Dave Bing indicates with new proposals to keep Detroit from running out of money.
The Detroit News has a staff-reduction memo sent Thursday to directors of city departments and agencies. A "deteriorating cash position requires that I take additional actions to ensure ongoing fiscal stability," reporter Leonard N. Fleming quotes the mayoral as saying in his "cash crisis update."
It directs executives to plan unspecified number of layoffs, starting in February, and furloughs to beguin in January.
"Positions will be eliminated from every department and at every level, with the exception of uniform personnel assigned to field operations," the mayor wrote. "Every effort will be taken to minimize workforce reduction in revenue-generating departments." . . .
Furloughs will be standardized across the city and will and occur on Mondays or the first business day of the week, Bing wrote. The mayor said he will soon direct his labor relations director to contact labor leaders to bargain over furloughs.
The city may run out of money in December due to a dispute with the state over $30 million in needed bond revenue.
