As many as 200 city employees could lose their jobs as San Diego works to fill a multi-million dollar budget hole. The layoffs will be spread throughout city departments and the people targeted for layoffs may not be the ones who ultimately lose their jobs.
Eliminating the 200 positions is expected to save the city between $15 million and $20 million. San Diego’s Chief Operating Officer Jay Goldstone says the majority of cuts will come from the police department, followed by the Fire and Rescue and Environmental Services departments. He says the cuts were made based on recommendations given to the mayor’s office by department heads. But Goldstone says some employees may be able to transfer to other positions.
“We’re maintaining right now, through this process, maybe another 150 or 200 positions that people may be able to bump into that are currently vacant that we are not eliminating,” he says.
Goldstone says employees with more seniority may also be able to bump a less senior worker out of a position if it’s one the senior employee has held before and no vacancies are available.
