Mayor Plans to Cut 10 Jobs at City Hall

Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan will present a proposed 2012 budget on Friday that will eliminate 10 more city jobs, including seven police officers, the mayor told business leaders gathered for a Chamber of Commerce event this morning, according to this story in The Morning Call.

Callahan did not say what he proposes as the city’s real estate tax rate, but did say that the budget will propose $64.6 million in spending – a $53,000 increase from this year’s budget.

The mayor told those gathered that he is anticipating increased revenues from earned income tax and mercantile tax to the tune of $325,000, according to this story in The Express-Times.

All seven police positions that Callahan would eliminate are currently vacant – the result of retirements and three firings – and would remain so under the mayor’s budget proposal.

Three employees in the Department of Community and Economic Development will be laid off, the mayor said.

Also, one vacant position in the Water and Sewer Resources Bureau will be eliminated, while another employee will be hired. The mayor did not specify where or what the new job will be.

The city's real estate tax rate currently sits at 14.85 mills, including a special 0.75-mill assessment council adopted last year to pay for a new fire truck and a new emergency medical services center.

Callahan plans to present his budget at a City Hall news conference at 2 p.m. Friday.