Mayor Tom Murphy says the city's 2006 budget could include significant job cuts if the state doesn't replace the revenue the city was supposed to get from slot casinos.
Murphy's warning comes in a toughly worded letter dated Tuesday to state Budget Secretary Michael Masch. It hits just days before the city has to present a budget to one of its state-appointed oversight agencies, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, or ICA.
"In order to cover the potential shortfall of $3.8 million caused by the delay in receiving the gaming revenues, I will be forced to eliminate nearly $4 million worth of desperately needed positions from the city's budget proposal for 2006," Murphy wrote.
The mayor's office would not say how many jobs that might involve. The city has around 3,700 positions and spends $255 million in salaries and benefits.
Powerball Says: This is just one of the many problems that occur when our elected officials spend money that does not exist. At a time when the Mayor is talking the loss of jobs, it does not seem appropriate to consider spending $50 million of public finds on a slots license for the city of Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
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