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Scranton employees sue mayor for slashing pay

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    Mayor Chris Doherty cuts all worker's pay to minimum wage

  • Duration 4:55
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For the mayor Scranton Pennsylvania is getting some national attention today after taking a hard line on his city's budget crisis.

Democrat Chris Doherty.

Slashing the salaries of hundreds of city employees to minimum wage including his own salary.

-- City Council rejected his point twelve budget proposal which included 29%.

Tax hike.

-- financial crisis is very serious right now therefore we need to take these very drastic decisions all employees including the mayor.

We paid minimal wage until we get through this financial crisis.

City union officials are now suing over the pay cut insisting that mayor Doherty has to comply with a judge's order to restore normal wages not minimum wage.

-- dear Donna as a radio host for 1210 WPH t and -- -- -- is a reporter for the Pittsburgh Tribune review.

Panel welcome so much so that the -- says look.

We've got 5000 dollars left in the coffers five grant how much gonna pay hundreds of city workers they're normal rates.

I can't do it I don't care what the judge says my only option is to pay minimum wage Selena does he have a point.

Well he does have a point but there's also a little bit political grandstand going on here.

Doherty is in a fight with City Council and they have always had a toxic relationship.

He's also always had a toxic relationship with the unions in that city.

He wants a tax hike.

This City Council doesn't want it though with presidency council Janet Evans also wants to -- mayor which is position.

That don't already he has.

-- -- internal politics they -- they ended yeah absolutely but the reason this is interesting Don is that that -- there are many cities across this country that are now facing similar fiscal collapse.

And different ones are dealing with -- in different ways -- -- saying.

We're gonna cut the pensions sorry but we're gonna do it that that's the only way out.

This apparently not only -- -- -- -- hike I guess income taxes 29% -- what was it like local city tax that I mean.

Yeah absolutely -- and I think he's out of control I think this is like the mayor of Harrisburg who's done -- more wild things.

I don't think this guy has to do this if there's some long term thing like pensions.

That's one thing this guy just wants to flail away and get that 29% tax increase -- so -- What did you to increase that that the city taxes by 29% AM he wanted to raise property taxes by 78%.

And oh yeah like that.

Eighty I this is adding -- is a little so you.

Not -- any stripe you -- stride all the gun to the heads of these guys they can't work for minimum wage.

The public employee unions are being held hostage here which is kind of -- turn about and fair play.

But I say it's the mayor and he's a guy that has statewide aspirations -- and apparently how they get out of this Selena I mean he heap -- he can't get the tax -- he wants so he's trying to cut the salaries down -- minimum wage but these are people who have bills to -- they have -- is they have kids in school they can't minimum -- -- -- from 15100 dollars every two weeks to 600 dollars every two weeks.

Right absolutely I mean I think he expects something to happen pretty immediately he has six children of his -- of selling -- can live on minimally -- there.

I mean dirty does have political aspirations he's already run for in a primary for governor in -- -- ten heat brand for state senate.

In 2011 so he's always.

Bin -- Scranton for the past ten years but always wanted to be any thing but.

Mayor of screen how how will help any politician politically at this try to get.

I mean Republican or demo.

Cracked how do you run on.

I thought to raise property taxes 78%.

And when -- -- -- the bad that it.

City union workers firefighters and policeman down to minimum wage but without their consent and even after a federal judge told that I couldn't do it.

On what party ticket does that help Selena.

Well -- doesn't.

-- -- he's never been a great politician he's always been a decent manager out for the past ten years Britain has had a Renaissance in the city.

Unfortunately because it taxes are so high in the city of Scranton all this sort of development that he's -- in the old buildings in and new buildings.

And there's no tax base to support it so people are moving in there let's -- -- I do -- I mean we've seen these other cities say look we've got to cut the pensions were sorry -- were promised a Rose Garden but we can't you can't deliver.

And so yeah -- -- that is that his only optional what is his option.

That that's his option -- -- bag in exactly the long term type of things that type of things we talk about on the national level the entitlements that pensions.

Pennsylvania's going through this right now the state level but not a grand stand to tell cops and firefighters work for minimum wage.

Yeah -- imagine.

29% increase in your city taxes and then at 78 present increasing your property taxes but -- -- there -- other cities besides Scranton in which the lab.

Stop Selena thank you.

Thanks thanks very much mega season according.

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