Low? What is low? How about zero for once in how many years?

This should be interesting..

I trust this cut will include some city managers in the 100 grand a year bracket and others in the ivory tower, not just the grunts doing the work.

No no this is how it works the grunts get cut and those that do the cutting get bonuses for the hatchet job.

Seamutt nailed it.

The managers never get laid off.. only the people that actually do the work.

Would be nice to see number of managers per employee before and after these cuts .

In case someone wants to read some details, this is the Budget Reference Guide in the agenda package for today.

http://princegeorge.ca/cityhall/mayorcouncil/councilagendasminutes/agendas/2012/2012_01_16/documents/Budget_and_Finance_Reference_Guide.pdf

There is over $4million which has accumulated in the FortisBC reserve fund which will not be used till the Lease In Lease Out agreement is concluded in 2021. At that time it is expected there will be $24 million in the account.

So where does this money come from? All those who use natural gas provided by FortisBC by paying a line item for rental of infrastructure.

So those who are in the city, pay city taxes, but not all are on FortisBC. So the 5% or so who use oil, propane, wood, electricity, etc. are not paying but will likely end up benefitting from this some time down the road for some unknown purpose.

It seems to me that this money could and likely shoulf be used prior to 2021 when an appropriate project comes up rather than increasing taxes.

To me the notion of taking in more money from taxpayers now so that taxpayers have a pot of money in the future which could be spent on something totally frivolous is a highly questionable venture, especially when the city continues to borrow on the one hand, yet collects a pot of money on the other hand.

Please, someone, tell me I am wrong in my current evaluation of this scheme.

“Would be nice to see number of managers per employee before and after these cuts.”

We really do not have any idea, as the members of the City, how the Administration works, do we?

A good, open, independent services review will provide that kind of documentation.

You say “when an appropriate project comes up” – I assume you mean like the PAC?
But then you say “something totally frivolous” – also like the PAC. Which way are you meaning?
;-)

acrider, the fact that we had so many 0% increases in previous regimes is what has led us to this situation, or do you remember Mayors Backhouse and Kinsley?

Seamutt, and P Val were you aware that CUPE has a no Layoff clause?

When we had that brief catch up period a few years back, we didn’t catch up. So where do the cuts come from?

Do we really need 2 swimming pools?

Would I pay an extra $100 or $200 a year to maintain what we have, YES!

I’m not saying I have the answers, but we need to look at the history of the City to see where we have gotten ourselves.

I’m just glad we don’t have a new ice surface being built.

Seamutt, and P Val were you aware that CUPE has a no Layoff clause?

Not quite true city has 2 CUPE locals only 1 has the noo layoff clause

A new PAC would be nice too. The $50 million before overruns price tag is worth the tens of dollars it would generate.

new2pg, thanx for clarifying

Well, it didn’t take Ms. Green long to go back on her word. She expressly stated she wasn’t going to reduce jobs.

http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/21961

The City has had some pretty interesting job ads in the paper over the last few years, some that made me shake my head, and now they’re going to send a bunch of people packing. Wow, sure seems like they don’t know what they’re doing over there. I feel sorry for the folks that are going to lose their jobs, probably due to poor managment.

If the union has a no layoff clause,the city should impose a hiring freeze and reduce the workforce through attrition- same end result just takes a little longer.

Nice to see the city has not replaced the 100k a year talking head(lack of communication manager.)

I saw on an earlier thread that Bates is untouchable because of the amount of his severance package. If he is not doing his job, the package would be money well spent.

So the target is now a 3.1 INCREASE. That is a long way from the 10% CUT that was promised by our new mayor. Oh well, the election is long over and our memories are short.

Nice that the mayor and krause can talk of how “difficult this will be” while quietly agreeing to take a pay hike for themselves.

Did not any member of Council have the guts to think maybe they should lead by example and make a motion to hold the line on their compensation while they are asking the rest of the organization to take a hit? And they wonder why politicians have a bad reputation.

Doing a bit of math I would expect 1.7 million in personnel cuts likely represents about 12-18 positions depending on what vacant positions can be left vacant and the level of pay for those that will be getting the royal send off.

Didn’t the mayor say she could cut without laying people off? Oh right, that was during the election when false promises and fairy tales are the order of the day.

Looks like there is also no money to replenish the snow reserve and no increase in funds to fix our roads. Oh well at least they will be funding their own 30% increase in compensation. Says a lot about their priorities.

My bad- looks like there is another person in the communication mgr position…can’t call it a job. Just as invisible as his predecessor so far:)

I find it offensive that anyone would suggest layoffs of labourers. cut the middle management, reduce salaries of the city manager and his cronies, return to open bid contracts for city work, stop funding things that are nof no necessity, refrain from mepostistic practices throughout city hall, the list could go on. There is a ton of waste we dcn’t even see or hear about because the contract goes to some guys buddy for whatever price he asks, when it could easily have been done for far less, and more competently by another entity, had the bid been open. If you really believed the newly elected mayor would hold true to her campaign promises, I have this really lovely bridge to nowhere I can sell you.

I believe the first place to look for cuts is in the overbloasted and very expensive bureaucracy we have at City Hall.

I also hope they look at the Prince George Fire Department.

I would like to know what the ratio is in the Fire Department of the people who ride in the trucks responding to the emergency calls and the people who have “office” jobs.

charles

the ratio of union to office staff would be about 125 to 6

2 of those 6 are clerical staff

those 125 are not all firefighters, there are dispatchers and inspectors in that number as well

does that answer your question

Everything has gone up in price to varying degrees, from food to gas to services. I don’t see how ‘zero percent’ as some suggest is realistic or sustainable.

I think tax hikes should be held to inflation or thereabouts.

“I find it offensive that anyone would suggest layoffs of labourers”

If what got rid of the alleged labourers who would be left to breast feed all those shovels? :)

Thanks for the information buzzbomb. That ratio seems reasonable.

interceptor wrote:
“You say “when an appropriate project comes up” – I assume you mean like the PAC?

But then you say “something totally frivolous” – also like the PAC. Which way are you meaning?”

The first one is actually written in the document which I linked to and which Councillors had available to them this afternoon. Who knows what would be an “appropriate” project in 2021. By that time we the entire City will be swimming with money from the Enbridge pipeline and $24 million will be a pittance.

As far as a frivolous project … PAC ….. nah, far too small ….

I would think more like a try to get the Canada summer games for either 2021 or 2025 or whenever BC’s turn comes up again for that.

Scary Shari strikes again!

I was glad the plows came through my neighborhood th other night to plow all the sand off the streets.!! Now that is money well spent…

As the price of solar and wind technology continues to drop to more affordable levels, and as energy-efficient buildings become more popular, “green” industries will grow even more rapidly in the future hence more get a degree from High Speed Universities for your

I here you verballabel. Seen them out last night as well. Perhaps core review can chew on that for awhile. Looks like we pay people to work even if there is no work.

Save 74,000 by shutting the fluoride tap off. Probably more like 100,000 when you consider maintenance. How come our elected council is so blind when 97% of BC is fluoride free? All cities around the world see it as a poison except 9 people in BC, who just happen to be our council. Could they be right and the rest of the world wrong? Who is the company that is selling us this toxic waste for 74,000 a year? Please someone, tell me who is responsible for our supply and I will make my presence known to them. Maybe a few billboards around town with their name on it would get the point across?

Ask old Frank E. what the Steelworkers took as a payout for the loss of BC Rail employees when CN took over.The city will cut whatever labourers they can without losing any supervisor positions under this regime.

Posted by: JohnnyBelt on January 16 2012 7:01 PMEverything has gone up in price to varying degrees, from food to gas to services. I don’t see how ‘zero percent’ as some suggest is realistic or sustainable.

I think tax hikes should be held to inflation or thereabouts.

Yes isn’t too bad the worker can’t have the same raise for COL. 000 for you 333 for the local government.

Seems to me like the Winter games tax is like the Provincial carbom tax on gas. Raise every year. Never hear where this money is going.

maybe it is time to do away with overdone services to low populated rural areas and bring these areas into the city to create a better tax base. Costs to separately govern these areas are exorbitant.
when cutting jobs, malingerers first please !

So, if we weren’t hosting the winter games our taxes would only be going up 2.12%? Or would they just find some other excuse to keep it at 3%+.