Press of Atlantic City
PLEASANTVILLE, N.J. — The city will lay off five firefighters and is planning to make several other changes in anticipation of a nearly $1 million shortfall next year. The loss of Urban Enterprise Zone funding from the state will leave the city short of about $983,000 every year, based on the city’s five-year projection, Administrator Linda Peyton said in a phone interview Wednesday. Gov. Chris Christie cut UEZ funding in July 2011 as part of a three percent decrease to the state’s budget.
To make up for the anticipated shortfall, the city will reduce its work force and leave vacancies unfilled. Peyton said about 67 percent of the city’s budget is salaries and benefits.
The reduction in staff will include firefighters and workers within City Hall. There will also be a reorganization to move former Urban Enterprise Zone employees to other positions within the city. Supervisors and other middle management positions will be eliminated, and some staff will be demoted, officials said.
Full story: Pleasantville budget crunch triggers five firefighter layoffs