City drops police pay to minimum wage

Cash-strapped Scranton, Pa., has slashed pay for all city employees — including police and firefighters — to minimum wage, sparking furor among unions that plan to sue in federal court.

The lawyer, Thomas Jennings, expects to file federal lawsuits on behalf of the union — the Fraternal Order of Police — alleging the city failed to pay proper wages and overtime, and cut benefits for disabled police without a hearing.

The City of Scranton abruptly cut pay for all 398 city employees to $7.25 per hour, saying it was the only way to keep Scranton solvent.

Scranton — which faces a $16.8 million budget deficit — had $133,000 in cash, but owed $3.4 million in vendor bills, including health insurance.

Roger Leonard, a city employee, typically gets a $900 check for two weeks of work. On Friday, it was $340.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...140229063.html

It's going to get worse.

Either pay & benefit cuts or layoffs. Choose your poison.

The problem with layoffs is that the police department had 204 officers. The police department now has 176 officers, but with officers hurt and officers about to retire there is really only about 150 working officers. The city believes that cutting the benefits of thier police officers will help correct the budget woes that the city moy or may not be having. I believe that officers with 4yr degrees or high will leave for the sheriffs office or another deparment to obtain better benefits, I know I would.

I wouldn't worry until you get below 115 officers.

The taxpayers will vote out politicians who cut services, especially if crime increases due to fewer LEOs so the only think left is to cut pay and benefits. Pay cuts are despised by employees so they will have to cut benefits such as pensions. San Diego, CA is the model on how to do it.

[coop644c]

If their politics are anything like Memphis, they have the money but won't use it the right way. We took a pay cut, raised insurance contribution, and pension contribution. The excuse... the city is broke we have to do these things " im sorry". The reality, the city spends 12 million to fund a parking garage that will be privately ran, 200 million dollars to get bass pro into the pyramid ( a big unused building in memphis that tax payers built), 46 million to fund a new boat ramp on the Mississippi river for a high end river cruise, and plenty more millions going to other non-critical expenses. This is going on accross the country spend how you want as a city and balance it on the public workers backs. Good luck guys, stay safe out there