http://www.huliq.com/10017/city-newark-cut...d-raising-taxes

City of Newark Cuts Toilet Paper To Avoid Raising Taxes
Submitted by KC Kelly Ph.D. on 2010-07-22
The economy is deemed to be so bad in Newark, New Jersey that Mayor Cory Booker has not only ordered for serious employment reductions and layoffs, but he has also ordered for the stopping of the governmental purchase of toilet paper. That is what sources from the MyFox New York are saying.

Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark is tighten the budget so much that he is enforcing major employment cuts, for example of most city swimming pool workers from five day work weeks to four day work weeks. This will save the city an estimated $250,000 to have city pools open one day less a week.

The news was already given to the workers that these cut work days and other layoffs will begin in August. Mayor Booker want to give the employees time to psychologically prepare for the change and perhaps time to look for alternative ways of earning income. The number of unpaid days for the workers will be increasing from eleven to nineteen with the new plan that Mayor Booker is going to implement.

Another cut Mayor Booker is making involves the gas that is used in municipal vehicles. Mayor Booker says that he will put a halt on the purchasing of gas for any municipal vehicles that are not considered to be critically important to the city.

These budget cuts are the first choice for Mayor Booker over the choice to increase taxes. Mayor Booker does not believe that a tax increase is the answer to get the city out of the seventy million dollar deficit that it is experiencing. He stated, "Taxes can not be the answer."

The only employees that, at this point, will not be affected by layoffs of shortening of workday work weeks are police officers, firefighters and sanitation workers. Although these employees should feel completely safe in the long term. Mayor Booker has a future proposal already in the works that will layoff as many as 350 police and firefighters.

Mayor Booker has some other plans to cut costs around the city as well. This year, residents should not expect to see any Christmas decorations or lights. Mayor Booker was quoted from a news conference, "Call me Mr. Scrooge, if you want, but they'll be no Christmas decorations around the city."