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Pocono News Section
No Layoffs for Luzerne County Workers
No Layoffs for Luzerne County Workers - Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 5:40PM EST
Reported by: Mike Trim
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2008 @ 05:40pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- There won't be any Luzerne County worker layoffs this year. That's what commissioners announced in a special meeting Wednesday morning. The county is dealing with a multi-million dollar deficit, and thought layoffs would help.
Part time reassessment workers might have saved full time worker layoffs. Commissioners say the union called for part time workers to go first before anyone.
The county says that would have been devastating. So the decision was made to make no cuts. Luzerne County commissioner Maryanne Petrilla says, "We can finally lay to rest this layoff issue. The one thing I wanted to stress with the employees was that this was not just another budget threat that seems to come about every year."
Petrilla says the workers union asked for part time reassessment employee layoffs. Commissioners say that would have stopped reassessment and wasn't an option.
Now the county will carry a 4.2 million dollar deficit into next year. Commissioners say it's only delaying permanent layoffs, and other ways to pull out of debt.
Luzerne County Commissioner Stephen Urban says, "You can dig another hole today, but that hole needs to be filled in January."
Row officers like clerk of courts Robert Riley hope for other ways to make ends meet.
Riley says, "I think the ultimate goal is to reduce employees no matter what happens if we have a 20 million gift tomorrow, I still think we'd be here talking about laying off employees and I think that's what's wrong with the basis of this whole issue."
Petrilla says the whole issue is pulling out of a deficit. The county is applying for the state early intervention program. That will bring in a financial manager to help find ways to save.
Commissioners still haven't said a number on layoffs they expect next year. Only that they would work closely with the workers union to find a solution.
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