web1_TTL090717OpeningDay2.jpg

Luzerne County Fair sees soggy opening day

web1_FirstDayIfWeNeedIt.cmyk_.jpg

With strike still looming, Dallas School District welcomes back students

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Mayor Tony George said Wednesday he&#8217;s leaning toward cutting personnel rather than raising taxes for the second straight year if it comes down to choosing between the two to balance the 2018 budget.</p><p>The city is burdened with debt and the mayor has been searching for short- and long-term solutions to control spending, enlisting the aid of paid consultant Public Financial Management for guidance under the state Early Intervention Program for municipalities on the verge of financial collapse.</p><p>Weighing heavily on the workforce decision are the upcoming contract negotiations with two of the city&#8217;s four unions and a pending arbitration with the firefighters who want the same 3 percent pay increase given to the other employees. The city has more than 270 workers and most of them are represented by collective bargaining agreements.</p><p>&#8220;Depending on the contract negotiations and how much money we have in order not to have a tax increase, they&#8217;ll be people let go,&#8221; George said.</p><p>The mayor said he&#8217;s made it known he&#8217;s seeking concessions. &#8220;We&#8217;re asking for a lot this year,&#8221; he noted.</p><p>Negotiations are expected to begin next week with the Laborers&#8217; International Union of North America Local 1310 that represents City Hall employees and emergency medical technicians. A message left with the Local&#8217;s business manager Thomas Borum was not returned Wednesday.</p><p>Later this month, talks are set with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 401 that represents Department of Public Works employees. A message left with Pat Connors, secretary-treasurer of Local 401, was not returned.</p><p>The city reached one-year extensions with those two unions whose three-year contracts expired at the end of 2016. Given the city&#8217;s shaky finances, it was reluctant to enter into multi-year contracts and aimed at starting anew after a more than $70 million bond package was in place to restructure debt and fund reconstruction of damaged sections of the Solomon Creek floodwall.</p><p>Meanwhile, the arbitration decision with firefighters is expected any time, said the mayor and Mike Bilski, president of the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department Local 104 of the International Association of Fire Fighters. &#8220;We&#8217;re just waiting,&#8221; Bilski said.</p><p>The contract with the remaining union, the Wilkes-Barre Police Benevolent Association, runs through 2019.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_Tony-George-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">George </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_Tony-George-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>George </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre Mayor George considering layoffs to balance 2018 budget