WREG.com

City Council Members Call Layoff Letter ‘Scare Tactic’

(Memphis) Memphis City Council members are calling letters to city workers about layoffs “scare tactics.”

“I just think its typical kind of scare tactics,” said councilman Kemp Conrad.

The letters were sent to city employees this week by CAO George Little advising hundred of jobs would be cut if the city property tax rate was not increased.

“If we had to come to these levels of savings we would have to look at public safety or else you wouldn’t have anything else but police and fire,” said Little. “I say these are real numbers these numbers reflect all the discussions of the last three years.”

Council woman Wanda Halbert also disagreed with the letter, “To send a letter and basically threaten the potential jobs  a lot of individuals who are property tax payers. It was a little shocking and alarming.”

A budget has to be finalized by the end of June.