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To view the entire article, go to http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/local_regional/fram_budget02042003.htm ____________________________________________________________ Cutting begins in town: Framingham says it will eliminate eight jobs to save money By D. Craig MacCormack Tuesday, February 4, 2003 FRAMINGHAM -- Town Manager George King yesterday announced several "significant and unpleasant measures," eliminating eight jobs and making one part-time in an effort to offset losses caused by recent state aid cuts. Eliminated yesterday were administrative assistants in the police, fire and building services departments, a custodian in the general government division, a fiscal supervisor, the LIFT bus coordinator, the director of community relations, and a laborer in the park and recreation division. Also, a garage attendant had his duties and hours cut in half. In addition to the layoffs, the hiring freeze instituted last month that includes the downtown manager and assistant chief financial officer remains in effect, King said. "These are the most difficult decisions that a municipal manager can make, being forced to lay off good people who are doing good jobs for the (town)," King wrote in a statement released to the media yesterday. The chosen positions have "some redundancy," wrote King. Some of them were positions created in the last couple of years, so officials have "some history of operating without them," he wrote. "There will be direct service impacts by these reductions, though they can not be totally quantified at this time," wrote King. He did not release the names of the people involved in yesterday's layoffs, but all know their fates. All vacant positions -- downtown manager, assistant CFO, taxpayer service representative, Planning Board administrative assistant, and three police officers -- will stay open this year and possibly into fiscal 2004, King said. The town's operations goal is to reduce spending by $350,000 in fiscal 2003. King estimated the layoffs and vacancies will offer savings of about $250,000 for the rest of the year. The additional $100,000 will soon be identified, said King, but he doesn't expect more layoffs. "That cannot be totally ruled out," he said. More than 73 percent of Framingham's budget reflects salaries and benefits, King said. "Although we will try to keep service reductions minimal, the impact will increase as additional personnel reductions will be part of the FY 2004 budget," he wrote. "The FY 04 budget that I will detail on Thursday will include more pain and more reductions. The future is not at all bright for local government in Massachusetts," he wrote. While King subscribes to the theory that towns be run like any other business, he pointed out that revenues are not tied to a municipality's demand for service. In many ways, they have an inverse relationship, he said. "No business would downsize when demand is at an all-time high," he said. "We are forced to do just that because our unrelated revenue growth is minimal. Although we may be implementing a businesslike solution, the results will likely be much more severe," he said. "It's never easy to put people on the street, especially those you have worked with on a daily basis and whose abilities and contributions you respect. It is particularly difficult during these challenging economic times," he said. King said he is "disappointed in the manner that the Romney administration made its reductions." "I recognize and accept that municipalities need to participate in the shortfall, but I think the timing and equity are questionable," he said. "The state administration needs to follow through on its promise to spread the cuts equally. That did not happen." He pointed to a 9 percent cut in the additional assistance line item, which cost Framingham $516,000. Half the communities in the state don't have this program, and therefore suffered no cut, he said. "Sharing the pain is a reasonable request, but sharing is what it should be," he said. "(Gov. Mitt Romney's) recommended legislation to assist municipalities is of little assistance to Framingham." ____________________________________________________________ News you need, from metrowestdailynews.com e-news Get the top headlines of the day delivered right to your e-mail in-box with metrowestdailynews.com e-news. It's free, and it's easy to sign up. Stay on top of the news you want - in sports, business, local news and opinions, entertainment and more! Sign up now at: http://metrowestdailynews.publishmail.com ____________________________________________________________ ) Copyright by the metrowestdailynews.com and Herald Interactive Advertising Systems, Inc. No portion of metrowestdailynews.com or its content may be reproduced without the owner's written permission. Privacy Commitment ____________________________________________________________
