The City of Cincinnati confirmed it is making massive furloughs today in order to address a looming $60 million to $80 million budget deficit related to pandemic coronavirus COVID-19.
Those cuts were "extreme," Mayor John Cranley said today, but necessary as the city struggles with an enormous reduction in tax revenue related to closure of non-essential businesses and other economic fallout from COVID-19.
Cranley said more than 20 percent of the city's workforce will be on temporary unpaid leave, though they will still have health benefits. The average department saw staff reductions of around 50 percent, he said. Some departments saw even steeper cuts.
No firefighters or police officers were furloughed, though some administrative staff in those departments will be. Roughly 90 percent of the city's sewer and waterworks employees also remain on the job, Cranley said.
"Because we are not furloughing police and firefighters, the cuts being sustained by other departments are extreme and very difficult and as you can tell very emotional," Cranley said today.
Cincinnati City Council last week authorized the city to borrow up to $150 million to address the fallout from COVID-19. So far, the mayor says, the city has secured about $50 million in loans from PNC Bank and will likely pursue more as needed.
The mayor stressed the furloughs were only for the duration of the crisis.
"To all the city workers who found out they're being furloughed today: It is temporary, and you will be back," Cranley said.
