Michael Bloomberg to Cut 10,000 Jobs by 2012

By Sergio Hernandez Fri., Nov. 19 2010 at 10:19 AM

Categories: Bloomberg, City Hall, Employment, Layoffs, Sergio Hernandez

If you were excited about yesterday's news that New York City's unemployment rate had dipped, think again. Private businesses may have added 40,000 jobs last month, but if you're a city employee, watch out: The New York Times reports that Mayor Bloomberg's quarterly budget modification, announced yesterday, says the city is poised to eliminate 10,000 public sector jobs by 2012 -- mostly teachers.

The plan will cut $600 million from the city's current budget and $1 billion from next year's, reducing the 2012 deficit from $3.3 billion to $2.4 billion. Of the city's 300,000 employees, 2,100 will see their jobs cut through attrition or layoffs by next July, and the Times says "most city agencies would be permitted to hire only one employee for every two who leave."

The largest long-term cuts are expected to be for city teachers (which should certainly make maybe-schools chancellor Cathie Black even more popular, right?), but other agencies will see cuts much sooner. For instance:

Department of Cultural Affairs: 193 layoffs by the end of 2011 fiscal year

Administration for Children's Services: 188 layoffs by the end of 2011 fiscal year

Department of Transportation: One-week furloughs for more than 600 employees

The Times says the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Finance, and public libraries in Brooklyn and Queens are also expected to see workers go.

[shernandez@villagevoice.com]

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