L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: We Have To Lay Off A Large Number Of Employees

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced on Thursday that his office is being forced to lay off a “large number of employees” as part of the cities upcoming budget proposal which is set to be unveiled on April 20.

During the City Administrative Officer Investors Conference Mayor Antonio said:

“We’re going to lay off a large number of employees. I’m not going to say how many.”

Los Angeles is currently suffering form a $220 million budget gap which is forcing the mayor’s office to find new revenue generating businesses. For example the city plans to seek long-term leases of city parking garages, a plan that was previously rejected by City Council members. The Mayor’s office also wants to increase the retirement age for city employees.

If certain plans fail to pass city approval Mayor Villaraigosa has promised to place those ideas on the ballot for voter approval.

City workers are already under contracts and when asked to give up raises unions refused to reopen contract talks. City employees under their current contract are set to receive raises on July 1, 2012. That refusal to reopen negotiations came after a request from the city’s five-member employee bargaining committee.

Since the US recession began in 2008 more than 300 city workers in Los Angeles have been laid off while thousands more have retired or transferred to non-affected agencies who have managed to avoid the cities budget crisis.

After leaving their former posts many positions have simply went unfilled as the city attempts to bring its budget under control.