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Sin City in the red?

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    North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck on city's financial struggles

  • Duration 4:28
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-- going bankrupt and now the mayor of North Las Vegas -- locked in a fight with union bosses there.

Earlier this month city officials are slashing their budget in half to 425 million dollars now -- -- the budget must be submitted to the statement by in this upcoming Friday.

That's includes pay freezes for police and firefighters.

But the unions are saying they have sacrificed a great deal over the past years and the city is lying about how bad financial problems.

Really are and that it needs to make cuts somewhere else.

Joining us now the mayor of -- this -- but mayor great to see you thank you for joining us.

And I thank you for having me.

And I understand it -- considering right now declared a state of emergency to break the contracts.

With the unions how would that work.

We in our city we have a population of 227000.

-- residents we believe that we have -- -- obligation.

To do everything we can to keep our citizens safe so.

The City Council is considering a resolution to.

Suspend parts of the union contracts so that -- balance our budget.

And do what every other family.

Does within this nation which is to live within our means.

If it truly your city -- experience at 37% drop in property tax revenues and that's a big reason for this crisis right now.

42%.

Drop in property tax revenues 30% drop in sales tax we've had one of the five highest for closure.

Rates in the nation our unemployment in our city still is at 13% so we've been hit.

Probably the hardest of anyone in this nation during this.

Real economic disaster so we have gone to our.

Public employee unions and asked again for their concessions they helped us out in the last couple of years but for this year summaries and may.

They really digging their heels and I think there's a feeling of entitlement.

That they deserve these pay increases.

We've asked them just stay where they are just don't take cost of living raise don't take as uniform allowance and do some things.

To really help our citizens out and to not force us to have to do layoffs.

-- real estate and the president of -- -- -- -- Hussein the last four years the men and women of the North Las Vegas police officers association.

Have given that every time to the officials have asked for concessions twenty million during this time frank.

In fact last through the officers gave back three dollars and 65 and -- -- -- point 65 million to heat.

Fourteen police officers from being laid off -- period eighteen months.

Then just three months later the city laid off forty officers and via at and this is coming from.

You might have violated the agreement disagreement Michael yarder whose president North Las Vegas police -- solution.

He made that this month.

What's your response to that statement.

You know.

We're still in an economic downturn this is our fourth here if you look out in the private sector and what's going on across this great nation.

And particularly in our state of Nevada.

I'm I'm sorry to say that we still are asking for concessions I don't know anyone in the private sector.

-- getting a raise this year in the state of Nevada.

I don't know anyone in the private sector who enjoys such generous benefits and salaries.

And if these employees are selling happy I would invite them to go ahead and look in the private sector for a job because with the unemployment rate -- the -- and it.

About a hundred out of print and it doesn't it's -- technical we reported earlier that they've had to let inmates out of some of the prisons in your area also the -- police -- saying that.

They're concerned that safeties being compromise with your offices on the streets.

Are you concerned that if this showdown continues and no agreements reached that.

Residents are going to be really upset by the fact that services are really being cut severely.

Residents are already extremely upset with.

What are public safety unions are doing today.

When they taken off of office said that they would protect and serve that's what our residents these are and that's what they expect.

So the City Council has other measures in place if we have to do these.

Massive layoffs we have ways and options to do to take care of our residents to keep them safe.

-- that clearly is the number one.

Option and goal of a City Council in a local government we will be keeping close watch on what develops in your city mayor thank you so much for joining us today.

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