06-02-10, Mike Mohill’s Suggestion to the Glendale City Council, “BUDGETING: KEEP IT SIMPLE!”

 

It seems the role of local government is full employment, even if it means cutting city services.  Nobody gets fired, just transferred to another department if an opening exists.  Last year at city council, I suggested the 15-10-5 plan and it fell on deaf ears.  I proposed the following: All employees with an income of $200,000 plus take an immediate 15% pay cut, employees income over $100,000, but less than $200,000 take an immediate 10% pay cut.  City employees with less than $100,000 income take a 5% pay cut.  This method will allow the employees with the least amount of seniority to keep their jobs.  Otherwise, the seniority system would prevail and the last hired employee would be the first fired.  My suggestion encourages younger and ambitious employees to keep their jobs and older employees continued employment.

 

At last night’s Council meeting, to his credit, Mayor Ara Najarian requested from staff a more in-depth discussion on the transfer of money from the city reserve account to shore up the city’s $35 million shortfall.

 

About two years ago, a city activist stated the projected shortfall was going to be $88 million from the city budget document.  Assistant City Manager Bob McFall said that was either a typo error or just a misunderstanding of said document.  Council man Frank Quintero said “the sun would rise and fall again tomorrow… and not to worry”.

 

Budgeting: keep it simple!

 

 

Mike Mohill