L.A. mayor says all city employees - even police and firefighters - should take pay cuts to help cut deficit (Los Angeles: how much, salary)

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Friday called on all city employees to take pay cuts, including police officers and firefighters, saying it would be the only substantive way to alleviate the need to slash 4,000 city jobs.

He warned that “there will be more" agencies cut as part of his upcoming 2010-11 budget.

Villaraigosa says all L.A. employees -- even police and firefighters -- should take pay cuts to help cut deficit | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

[CALGUY]

By any chance did he mention that he would be among the city employees taking a pay cut?
Bob.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

I would think it's difficult enough as it is to live a decent life on a policeman's salary in L.A., and now he wants to cut their pay?

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

I would think it's difficult enough as it is to live a decent life on a policeman's salary in L.A., and now he wants to cut their pay?

police make plenty. When you count the benefits, overtime, and ridiculous pensions nobody should be crying for them if they have to take a 5% pay cut. it's called living in the real world not the world of government.

[BRinSM]

“Every employee, from the mayor on down ought to take a cut," Villaraigosa said.

[subPrimeTime]

Great point NaplesRes. In the private industry (in which I work) you don't get this type of 'coddling' of employees, as if a pay cut is a death sentence or something.

When the going gets tough in the corporate world, non-essential or lower-performing employees are flat-out eliminated.

[Snort]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Friday called on all city employees to take pay cuts, including police officers and firefighters, saying it would be the only substantive way to alleviate the need to slash 4,000 city jobs.

He warned that “there will be more" agencies cut as part of his upcoming 2010-11 budget.

Villaraigosa says all L.A. employees -- even police and firefighters -- should take pay cuts to help cut deficit | L.A. NOW | Los Angeles Times

As a way to show solidarity, Antonio also offered to slash his last name in half; back to Villar.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by subPrimeTime

Great point NaplesRes. In the private industry (in which I work) you don't get this type of 'coddling' of employees, as if a pay cut is a death sentence or something.

When the going gets tough in the corporate world, non-essential or lower-performing employees are flat-out eliminated.

I don't think the police department should be run like a private corporation.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by NaplesRes

police make plenty. When you count the benefits, overtime, and ridiculous pensions nobody should be crying for them if they have to take a 5% pay cut. it's called living in the real world not the world of government.

How much do you think police officers should make? Minimum wage?

[NaplesRes]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

How much do you think police officers should make? Minimum wage?

Actually I would give them 5% raises. But I also think they should contribute at least 8% to their pensions and I don't think they should get them until they are 60. If we did this we would not have any budget problems. Citizens need to wake up and understand that the overwhelming problem with our state and local budgets is aggregious employee pensions.