City delays action on cuts pending union talks, vote

CHULA VISTA: Facing a $20 million deficit in the coming fiscal year, the Chula Vista City Council last night postponed for one week its decision to make cuts, pending labor union negotiations and a union vote.

The Chula Vista Employees Association membership will vote Friday on whether to forgo its next two raises, a move that could save the city millions of dollars and would curtail layoffs. Other unions are in similar negotiations.

The City Council had expected to decide how to cut $4 million from this year's budget and $20 million from next year's books in two meetings this week.

Also on the agenda was whether to move forward with a half-cent sales tax increase initiative and whether to pursue an expansion of the city's utility-user tax. Both tax measures were pulled from the agenda last night but are expected to come up again.

Tuesday's meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 276 Fourth Ave. -T.S. (Union Tribune)

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My comment:

It's hard to believe that any politician would even consider raises this year, when virtually no American in the real world is getting raises, and most are getting lay offs. More taxes? Wait isn't Chula Vista's economy in free-fall? Readers: who supports higher city pay and who supports increasing the sales tax?