On 6/5/03 11:26 PM, "Jim Mork" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I see in the financial overview for 2003 > (http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/citywork/city-coordinator/financ > e/services-budget/docs/budgetbook2003/Section3.pdf#page=1) that > the 2003 figure for police and civilian review is $100.8 million, > up 4 percent from $96.7. Why so many layoffs when the budget is > ACTUALLY increasing?
That's really not so hard to answer. The MPD got pretty healthy raises in their last contract negotiations. Add to that the double-digit increases in health care costs that we see everywhere, plus inflation on everything and it becomes quite apparent that the $4.5 million budget increase was not enough to maintain the current level of service. Not so much different than all the cutting that was needed at the state level despite a budget that was $1 billion larger than the current two-year cycle that ends on June 30th. Or to put it in the "family checkbook" terms that our friends at the Taxpayers League like to talk about so much, if you get a raise that puts an extra $50 in your pocket each month, but rising consumer prices increase your grocery bill by $10, your utilities by $20 and your prescriptions by $30, then you're still falling behind, even with that nice little windfall you got. Mark Snyder Windom Park TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
