Lawrence mulls 40 days of furloughs for employees

Local aid makes up about 68 percent of the city's budget, but with expected state revenue shortfalls, Lawrence may get $7 million to $10 million less in 2010, said Mark Andrews, the city's budget and finance director. He added that the city has already stripped non-personnel expenses and collected overdue tax bills, but drastic measures are still necessary to close the gap. He said the furloughs would be temporary, and that employees would recoup all of their lost wages when they retire or move out of the city.

Silva said implementing a graduated scale of pay cuts, up to 10 percent for a person making $100,000 or more, would make more sense. "When I started on the council three years ago, there were more than 100 DPW workers. Now we have only 38. How is the city able to do things like maintain the parks, the sidewalks, the airport? There are many things that need to be fixed, and I don't think this furlough is in the best interest of the city and its residents.''

Andrews said the furloughs essentially amount to pay cuts, and are the best way to balance the city's $242 million budget without resorting to layoffs. "If you look at some of the cities in the South Shore and throughout the region, they've laid off dozens of workers. They pulled the trigger, but we're trying to find a compassionate way of doing things."

City Council President Patrick Blanchette said more non-personnel cuts can be made, such as the stipends that Mayor Michael Sullivan gives employees, amounting to about $75,0000 annually, and cutting back on the number of take-home vehicles that run up city costs for fuel, insurance, and maintenance. Sullivan said that most of those vehicles, used by the city's police department, are paid for through confiscated drug money.

Most city workers are already taking 10 days off without pay to compensate for a $2.4 million gap in the current year's budget, and last month, 19 laborers were laid off after their union declined to accept the furloughs. Sullivan said the 10-day furlough, in the third week, has been working without major inconveniences to the city's residents. "City Hall is operating, 80 percent of the city's operations are open and moving, so this is a good tool to work around layoffs." The furloughs save the city $700,000 a week, Sullivan said. He added that if better economic days come in the next six months, the city could reduce or eliminate proposed furloughs.

The 2010 budget proposal is expected to go to a council vote by the middle of next month, and the city's unions are expected to vote on the 40-day furlough proposal by the end of next month. If the unions come out against the furloughs, the city may have to consider additional layoffs, Andrews said.

Keith Wlodyka, the president of the Tower Hill Neighborhood Association, said "It's already frustrating to try and get something done in the city. Now imagine if there is even less manpower. It's frustrating to the residents. We can't even get street signs made now, and it will only get worse." The Tower Hill district in the northwest section of the city represents about 5,000 homes.