THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 3, 1994 TAG: 9407010254
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Taxpayers like to hear buzz words such as ``down-sizing'' and ``budget-cutting'' and ``lean government.''
But, even if they like the idea, they deserve more facts about last week's cuts that devastated the morale of a very large portion of the city's work force.
How much money really will be saved and how much is talk?
A year or so ago, the city manager bragged a lot about ``cutting'' 130 positions. Yet, in the 1993-94 budget, there were only nine positions less than were reported in the 1992-93 budget. Because there are unfilled positions, the city, in fact, does employ fewer people now than it did then but that doesn't mean the jobs were cut.
There are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the elimination last Tuesday of employees, especially when some may qualify for jobs the city is advertising to fill right now.
Taxpayers no doubt want a lean, efficient city staff. But they want it for real, not just for press conferences and city management's enhancement.
KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH CITY EMPLOYEES by CNB