San Jose Mayor's Budget Proposal Would Keep Branch Libraries Open 5 Days a Week

In the process, the Mayor insures he'll have a big fight on his hands.

Mayor Chuck Reed

Link to San Jose Mercury News, "San Jose mayor asks council to impose pay cuts on workers to save libraries, community centers".

Excerpt:  [Mayor Chuck] Reed's proposal was issued late Friday, giving council members little time to review it by press time. The chief of staff for Councilwoman Nora Campos, who has opposed imposing contracts on unions, said she was hopeful an agreement would emerge soon that would make the move unnecessary.

Reed has twice cobbled together a narrow majority to impose cuts on unions: last year with the operating engineers and earlier this year with building inspectors. The operating engineers, who include maintenance workers, park rangers and parking control officers, are among the six on which he is seeking to impose cuts this month.

The terms of what Reed called the city's "last, best and final offer" would cut salaries almost 5 percent and trim benefits to reduce total compensation 10 percent. Benefit changes would include raising employees' share of health insurance premiums from 10 to 15 percent; increasing co-payments for doctor visits from $10 to $25; and reducing "cash-outs" of unused sick leave for retiring workers. The proposal also incorporates the additional pension payments employees had offered.

The imposed cuts would save $9.5 million, the mayor's office said. That money would keep branch libraries open five days a week instead of three and spare six community centers that were expected to close in the fiscal year that begins next month.