The city of Hayward, California, is eliminating 33 vacant positions and laying off 16 employees in the hopes of reversing a budget deficit.
The Oakland suburb, birthplace of actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, offered incentives for employees to retire early, but the plan failed to prevent the firings.
Budget deficits, exacerbated by the struggling economy and falling
home prices, are plaguing communities throughout the San Francisco Bay area. Hayward’s deficit comes largely from lower-than-expected tax revenues. In particular, the Real Estate Transfer Tax produced three million dollars less than expected.
The city council promised not to reduce
public safety services, so police and firefighters gain immunity for this round. The city of 155,000 employs 870 people.