CAR I do agree with DWCAP. Reducing city employees along with pensions and such is virtually the only way out of bankruptcy for the city. If you look at the vast spectrum of jobs that the city has it is way way way overbuilt. Does the city need to have plumbers, mechanics for the city vehicles, and a host of other infrastructure needed to maintain the services? On the face of it you may say yes because the private sector will charge the city more for plumbing service. However when you add up the cost of a pension, medical benefits for that city employed plumber and add up the actual hours he works…

It is very very much a no brainer.

Honestly an approach like this, while hurting city employees, in the long run is much much much more fiscally responsible. Creating more demand for the private sector will create more jobs as well. Pension and medical benes are what is bankrupting the city. Contracting those jobs out is costlier in the short run but substantially cheaper in the long run.