City of Sarasota to cut 100 jobs
Quote Originally Posted by Roger Drouin, Herald-Tribune
SARASOTA — The city will be cutting an estimated 100 employees, reducing the work force to the same size it was in the early 1990s. Workers will learn who goes today; one department will be eliminated.

The Sarasota city manager will make the announcement regarding job cuts at 9:30 a.m. today in Room 112 at City Hall.

City Manager Robert Bartolotta said he would not specify the exact number of positions that would be eliminated -- including layoffs -- until affected employees were notified. Starting at 8 a.m. today, department heads were planning to meet with employees who are losing their jobs.

The city has to trim $10.4 million from the budget over the next two years as state tax reforms take effect. Tax changes approved by the Legislature have reduced the tax bills of homeowners. At the same time, the tax reforms are causing cities to tighten budgets.

Last year when the City Commission cut 35 positions, officials said that would only be the beginning. Bartolotta says he hopes this week's cuts are the last ones for a while.

There are currently about 740 full-time city employees.

Employees who are let go will receive either 30 days' pay or 30 days' notice.

Bartolotta said each of the city's 13 departments will lose some positions.

As part of an agreement with Sarasota County, the county takes care of most of the city's larger parks.
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