Mayor: Shut down city two days a week
By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer
Updated: 04/06/2010 02:58:44 PM PDT
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called Tuesday for city officials to begin developing plans to close down all non-essential city services for two days a week to try to resolve the burgeoning financial problems facing the city.
Citing the City Council's rejection of a rate increase for the Department of Water and Power — and its decision to not make a $73 million transfer to the city's general fund — Villaraigosa said he believed there were no other options.
"I cannot ask workers to come to work when we can't pay them," Villaraigosa said.
The mayor, who once served on the City Council, also had harsh words for the council.
"I do not have the luxury of standing up and taking part in a debating society," Villaraigosa said. "We cannot continue to run this city by the politics of no. The City Council reminds me of Congress in the debate over health care."
Villaraigosa aides said they were still working out the details of the shutdown and which employees it would affect. The mayor said it would be all workers not involved in public health and safety or revenue generation.
An emergency meeting with union officials has been called for Wednesday morning.
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This is scary.
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