Oakland California Deals with $31,000,000 Deficit

...every library....

Link to June 26 New York Times article, "Facing Deficit, Oakland Puts Police Force on Chopping Block".

Excerpt: At the Council meeting on Thursday night, where a crowd of hundreds filled the chambers and spilled out the door, city officials said that their hands were largely tied by contracts with the fire and police departments, which comprise nearly 75 percent of the city’s $400 million general fund.

“Even if we wanted to, and we don’t want to, if we closed every senior center, every library, every park and rec and city hall, we could not balance the budget without going to police and fire,” said Jane Brunner, the City Council president.