Thursday, November 27, 2008

City of Kingston Layoffs: Quick Point

Times are tough for everyone and there are moves to be made - we all know that. But there are a few parts of the City of Kingston Budget cutting process that need to be explained.

Why is it that the majority of the PERSONEL cuts that are being considered seem to be directed only at the CSEA?
Are you council people really doing the math before you cut peoples jobs from full time to part time? Specifically in relation to what those cuts will really save the individual taxpayers?
I mean, if you were to tell me that it would save me fifty dollars to my personal tax burden if you cut someones ability to feed their family in half, I would not want you to make that cut.


If it saved each taxpayer something like $800 dollars, I guess we would have to consider it.

I highly doubt that the cutting the CSEA employees you have targeted from full time to part time are the life saving ingredients in this whole thing. These are legitimate long time employees here.

Can't we devise smarter ways to use or not use material, vehicles and cut back on commodities before we throw a few employees to the curb to maybe look good?
You aren't going to look good.

Take someones car away, someones gas card,maybe someones jeep over the weekends, CUT DOWN ON A FEW LUNCHES and few BS meetings, turn the lights off, cut your non-union employees down to 37 hours a week, look at management - are you top heavy in that department?

One more thing, if I get it right there is one fairly new employee who in the middle of all of this, who is being changed from part time TO FULL TIME. This is being done in conjunction with few long time employees who are about to be cut half-time.

Word on the street is that the employee who is being upgraded from part time to full time - in this "economic emergency" - is a relative of Jim Noble.

I may have this wrong but I understand that his fuction is basically some sort of nature guide to kids on school trips or related activities.

If this is what you think is right or fair, you are dead wrong. At the very least, if you really needed to cut longtime employees from full time to half - the nature guide job, staying at half time may have saved a long time employee from being hurt.

Are you guys sitting in the big chairs crazy? If so, don't get too comfy
.

I know some of you drink, but come on.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

What about Sottile and the Council targeting Ms. Edwards? (See Cahill's blog for more info)

Anonymous said...

I agree, cut things out not people. And to raise Nobles boy to full time is absolutely stupid.

Anonymous said...

Last year they did the same thing for nobles niece. Let a full time rec leader positionn go so she could have a job. They do great work for the city, but a lot of time they are in school districts outside the city, why can't the school system pay for this free service. Two environmental educators are one too many. The noble family will still have health insurance.

Anonymous said...

I was told that a couple of Aldermen meet with CSEA leaders and went over some areas where cuts could be made without anyones pay being cut,but the Aldermen wont do that because its personal,because CSEA did't endorse the Mayor,but you have to look back at the years when they did endorse the Mayor and CSEA positions were still eliminated,I don't blame CSEA for looking for friends in different places.

Anonymous said...

How come less than a year ago the common council and the Mayor thought we needed two full time code inspectors and now less than a year later are cut to part time? The question maybe answered by saying DPW Boss, Steve Gorsline's main squeeze needed a job after losing her job as a waitress. Word is she failed the test and had to be let go. Furthermore, the remaining code enforcer happens to be one of the women filing sexual harrasment charges against the City. Don't inusult our intelligence. The Mayor wants his pound of flesh and will go to any lengths to get it even if it means cutting a MUCH NEEDED service like code enforcing that generates revenue and educates our community. Nice Job, Mr. Mayor!

Anonymous said...

My understanding is that a great deal of the cost of the nature guide position is paid for by funding streams other then city taxes, such as payment they receive from school districts for work they do with them as as well as funds from NY state. There are also other fee based activities they provide that bring in some revenues. They are a piece of the tourism industry in Kingston with the nature center being a very pleasant attraction in the city.

I understand that having politicians provide jobs to family is distasteful and with Sottile's history of conflict with people it is easy to look at other possible motivations for some of the job cuts.

A Progressive Hudson Valley Union said...

I just wonder why one city position OCCUPIED BY A RELATIVE OF A CITY LEADER is being moved to full time - while others are cut. as for the funding coming from schools and the state - I didn't think our local schools or our state are in such great financial shape that we can decide - during all of this belt tightening -that this particular job needs to move to full time right now. Maybe Governor Patterson doesn't realize things aren't that bad.

Most importantly, lets hope the council has considers every type of cut available BEFORE cutting a loyal, longtime, city workers ability to feed their family. Someone not being able to take a car or truck home won't kill them.

No matter where the funds come from for the nature boy position- I think its bad timing and they need to be sure they have NO OTHER CHOICE. NONE.

Anonymous said...

There are so many different ways of cutting the fat. 1. Why are we using Bonestells mechanics when the city have there own and we could use for overflow a city machanic. 2. Stop with cell phones and taking home cars and trucks.
3. Have time clocks that work, and paper work to back up overtime. 4. Enforce City Codes. 5. Put fines on people that litter, and put up some signs to let people know there are fines. There is not one sign in the city. These are a few ways. Mayor you get the big bucks plus alot of perks. I think you can think of some more. Cut the fat not the peoples jobs. We in the city need each and everyone of the people you want to cut.

Anonymous said...

You have at least 5 retiring this coming year with big salaries. Just with them being going you will be saving money. What is wrong with you people, we know the city is not going to replace them. Your getting rid of people that work hard not the ones that cause alot of troblem. Lets see 1.breast
being tossed, 1 penis, dirty tapes, 1 Gorsline, 1 girlfriend, 1
big man cursing at whoever when they want to. Yea lets get rid of the ones that don't do these things. What kind of drugs is everyone on, because this is nuts. Someone call the squirles!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Mary jo Wilshire challenged the nature people over money they wanted to spend, and now her job is cut.

Anonymous said...

CSEA did a great job last night at the council meeting. They saved 2 full time position, and one part time. But what about this $60.00 pen Gorsline just bought. Kind of extravagent isn't it.