The contract negotiations between the Bayonne Police & Fire Department workers and the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1
lace></st1:city> have begun this week. No mention has been made in any publications as of yet, however this is a pivotal issue to the taxpayers of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1
lace></st1:city>. The city currently has an operating budget of approximately $52million a year. However the city is also running a deficit of about $25 million a year (feel free to check my numbers, I am opining off the cuff here). <o
></o
>
Even allowing for some variation in my numbers, there is no doubt that the city has a clear path in negotiations. They must offer no increase in pay & benefits to the PD & FD, unless layoffs are considered to offset any additional costs.<o
></o
>
Currently the country is headed into a recession. This means tougher times are ahead for all of us. No one will be exempt from the suffering. With this in mind, the city should consider requesting concessions from PD & FD. In lieu of laying workers off, this would ensure that all workers keep their jobs and keep working when many in the private sector will be losing theirs. <o
></o
>
I have been told many times by city officials that government should not be compared to the private sector. But what the government is in denial about is that it is the private sector that funds it. The government relies on tax income to fund its operations. However, you can only raise taxes so far before you begin to devalue the private sectors greatest asset: our homes. As tax prices go up, home prices will fall. Couple that with the jobs that many of us will be losing or the cuts in pay many of us will be forced to take in the private sector and the city will create a perfect storm for itself. <st1
lace w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bayonne</st1:city></st1
lace> will see an increase in foreclosures in homes and an inability of taxpayers to pay taxes.
It is time to take a tough stand for the taxpayers of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1
lace w:st="on">Bayonne</st1
lace></st1:city>. <o
></o
>
