Quote Originally Posted by ABC 7
The city of Venice has a $3.2 million budget shortfall. They are now looking to eliminate public safety jobs. The move could mean laying off 20% of the city's fire department and cutting a police jobs.

"Public safety is typically the last place we look for cuts." Not wanting to use reserves or raise taxes, the city has now asked first responders to come up with roughly $2 million in savings. Finance Director Jeff Snyder say there is nowhere else to turn.

Venice's police chief says they will cut seven positions, but they will come from not hiring for three open patrol jobs and with four planned retirements.

Other options include adopting a fire fee, raising taxes, or even declaring the economic situation as a qualified disaster to use more....
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