HCPOA NEWS
Howard Co. employees likely to face 'minimal' layoffs, furloughs
Apr 06, 2009 (03:04:37)
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Howard County will impose "minimal layoffs" and most likely furloughs on employees starting in July, County Executive Ken Ulman said Monday.The layoffs would be "12 or fewer" in a work force of more than 2,000, Ulman said, though he did not say which departments would be affected. A decision on furloughs has not been made, the county executive said, but will come within the next 10 days as the General Assembly works this week to finalize the state budget.
His comments came on a radio talk show and in an interview afterward.
Howard is grappling with drops in revenue from income tax and real estate sales, as well as investment losses. But Ulman said it is looming state cuts -- $10 million to $15 million -- that are forcing his hand.
"Everything is on the table," Ulman said, speaking on Dan Rodricks' radio call-in show on WYPR. "You're going to see some reductions in services -- parks not maintained, some reduction in library hours."
However, the county executive said tax increases "are not something we're giving serious thought to."
Ulman does not have the authority to furlough or lay off teachers, who are governed by the school board.
Howard has not requested a state waiver on school "maintenance of effort" spending as some jurisdictions have done. That means the county must spend at least $2.7 million more for schools than last year. But with a growing enrollment, that doesn't mean much, even with federal stimulus money for schools.
Ulman said that the county must find a way to get through the coming fiscal year with about $50 million less in operating revenues than this year. That is a substantial drop in a county with an $850 million general fund budget, he said.
Though furloughs are not for sure, one union official suggested asking for volunteers for them to spare workers in need.
"Water and sewer systems don't take a furlough when the economy gets bad," said Dale R. Chase, a senior electrician at the county's wastewater treatment plant who is president of Local 3085 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Chase said he'd volunteer to take unpaid leave to help other county workers. Chase's local represents utility, highway and parks and recreation workers.
Ulman is expected to reveal his fiscal 2010 budget proposal on April 20. Last week, he announced a $392 million capital budget, but noted that funds for those construction projects are borrowed over a 20-year period and are not as tied to annual revenues used to pay ongoing expenses like salaries.
By Larry Carson | larry.carson@baltsun.com
3:06 PM EDT, April 6, 2009
baltimoresun.com
