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County Executive Chris Coons didn't mince words when it came to three county unions who have rejected a second consecutive year of salary rollbacks.
"Simply put, workers in those three union locals will be facing layoffs," he said during Tuesday's FY 2011 Budget Address.
Citing a trying economy, Coons said he would not raise property taxes in 2011 after a 25 percent increase last year. But the government's financial picture dictated another year of 5 percent salary givebacks, he said, something union officials have balked at.
"We are willing to go back to the bargaining table and offer other viable options," said Dan Tharby, president of AFSCME Local 459, which represents parks and maintenance workers. "We have identified other areas which we can show him that will give the county even more savings."
But Coons is adamant that the savings come from personnel costs, which account for nearly 75 percent of the $234.9 million proposed budget. He said "dozens" of the 725 workers from Local 459, Local 1607 (clerical and technical workers) and Local 3109 (supervisors and managers) could lose their jobs. Police and paramedics would not be laid off because their unions agreed to new three-year contracts that include givebacks last year.
"We have to be committed to steadily decreasing the cost of the workforce, have the economy come back and find new revenue streams," Coons said "Some mix of those three are the only way we're getting through this."
While residents avoided a property tax increase this time around, Coons asked council to approve a 4 percent increase in sewer rates - which equates to $10 for the average household. The additional revenue is needed, he said, in order for the county to adequately comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
In total, the proposed 2011 budget is 2.5 percent - or $6 million - higher than this year's, with major cost drivers including a $1.9 million increase in healthcare and pension costs and $1.6 million in debt services. To close a gap between revenues and costs, Coons plans to use $7 million from the county's remaining $45 million in reserves.
Councilman William Tansey (R-Greenville), who will retire at the end of the year and traditionally had not seen eye-to-eye with Coons on fiscal issues, said he was pleased with what he heard Tuesday night.
"If we reduce the workforce by less than 10 percent, we can balance the budget without any givebacks and without using raising taxes or using any of the reserves," he said. "It's not popular, but that's the direction we need to move in."
County Executive Chris Coons didn't mince words when it came to three county unions who have rejected a second consecutive year of salary rollbacks.
"Simply put, workers in those three union locals will be facing layoffs," he said during Tuesday's FY 2011 Budget Address.
Citing a trying economy, Coons said he would not raise property taxes in 2011 after a 25 percent increase last year. But the government's financial picture dictated another year of 5 percent salary givebacks, he said, something union officials have balked at.
"We are willing to go back to the bargaining table and offer other viable options," said Dan Tharby, president of AFSCME Local 459, which represents parks and maintenance workers. "We have identified other areas which we can show him that will give the county even more savings."
But Coons is adamant that the savings come from personnel costs, which account for nearly 75 percent of the $234.9 million proposed budget. He said "dozens" of the 725 workers from Local 459, Local 1607 (clerical and technical workers) and Local 3109 (supervisors and managers) could lose their jobs. Police and paramedics would not be laid off because their unions agreed to new three-year contracts that include givebacks last year.
"We have to be committed to steadily decreasing the cost of the workforce, have the economy come back and find new revenue streams," Coons said "Some mix of those three are the only way we're getting through this."
While residents avoided a property tax increase this time around, Coons asked council to approve a 4 percent increase in sewer rates - which equates to $10 for the average household. The additional revenue is needed, he said, in order for the county to adequately comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
In total, the proposed 2011 budget is 2.5 percent - or $6 million - higher than this year's, with major cost drivers including a $1.9 million increase in healthcare and pension costs and $1.6 million in debt services. To close a gap between revenues and costs, Coons plans to use $7 million from the county's remaining $45 million in reserves.
Councilman William Tansey (R-Greenville), who will retire at the end of the year and traditionally had not seen eye-to-eye with Coons on fiscal issues, said he was pleased with what he heard Tuesday night.
"If we reduce the workforce by less than 10 percent, we can balance the budget without any givebacks and without using raising taxes or using any of the reserves," he said. "It's not popular, but that's the direction we need to move in."
Council President Paul Clark, however, said he's hopeful the layoffs can be avoided.
"We're a service government and any layoffs we make is going to mean a cut in service," he said.
One significant difference between this budget and the previous year's is the presence of a robust capital spending plan that includes $5 million in funding for a new Claymont Library. That's because, of the $73.4 million in proposed spending, $51 million will be funded through special federal bonds that will allow the county to recoup half its interest payments.
"That's why we are going forward with much-needed, multi-year projects," Coons said. "It makes sense...because the downturn in the construction industry means we can get these projects done at a more cost-effective rate and put more people to work in our community."
