West Bloomfield Township Considering Police & Fire Cuts

[MrSam]

This economy is affecting us all.
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WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. [[WXYZ) - Police and firefighter jobs are on the line in West Bloomfield, and the township clerk is even raising the possibility of receivership if action isn't taken.

A special township meeting is being held Monday night to determine the fate of those jobs and a projected budget deficit for one of the most prosperous communities in southeast Michigan.

Even West Bloomfield isn't able to dodge the economic tidal wave hitting metro Detroit. Township officials are holding a special meeting to discuss cuts to services.

Township clerk Cathy Shaughnessy says West Bloomfield needs to renegotiate police and fire contracts, otherwise there will be lay-offs.

"There's many different concessions that could be done," said Shaughnessy. "Benefit reductions and sick day reductions are two options."

West Bloomfield is operating with a surplus right now, but declining property values and less state revenue means a $12 million projected deficit for 2012. Shaughnessy says not dealing with it now could be devastating.

"A projected deficit of 7 million dollars is like receivership, so we don't want that to happen."

http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story...uOaFp4kiA.cspx

[stonechipped]

I have a old girl friend that lives out there hope her house does not burn down, or, no I'm right hope it remains in one piece. Yes I really do

[MikeM]

Huh? Sure your handle shouldn't be stonedchip? Or chipstoner?

[stromberg2]

Paging Crawford!

[Detroitnerd]

I don't know, $7 million doesn't seem like a whole lot to cut out of a budget. Wouldn't simple attrition work? What's their total budget anyway? Jeez, aren't they wealthy enough to just pay it?

[DetroitPlanner]

A township does not provide the amount of services that a City would, therefore it costs lower to operate. While this is an incredibly wealthy place, it has fixed costs and I am pretty sure that most that live there do not want to see an increase in taxes while the value of their property decreases. Being that it is a smaller form of government to begin with you can't compare its budget to an average City who is charged with paying for its own infrastructure, or to a typical township who is rural. $7 million, with a projected $12 million hit to come is huge.

[Crumbled_pavement]

They don't need the police anyway. The type of people that live out there would never commit a crime anyhow. The police out there just sit around and play card games and get cats out of trees because no one ever does anything wrong out there.

[Detroit Stylin]

They don't need the police anyway. The type of people that live out there would never commit a crime anyhow. The police out there just sit around and play card games and get cats out of trees because no one ever does anything wrong out there.

lol..........