Chula Vista Closes Offices to the Public to "Save Money," but Employees Still Come to Work. After voters in Chula Vista rejected city leaders' proposed 1 percent sales tax increase earlier this month, the leaders announced that many city offices will be closed to the public on Fridays, beginning this week.
While the closure of public counters and various city departments was described as a cost-cutting measure, employees still will come to work on Fridays.
City Manager Jim Sandoval said the odd arrangement will help the city combat a staffing shortage. He said the reduced staff cannot cope with an increasing workload unless they have one day per week to focus on internal business.
"The reality is that with a smaller workforce, we cannot do all that we have accomplished before the budget reductions," Mr. Sandoval said in a city press release. "With these new hours of operation, I believe we can still provide a good level of public service as we have in the past."
The new hours do not affect the Police Department, fire stations, public libraries, recreation centers, the animal shelter or public works offices, the release said. Libraries, recreation centers and the city's nature center will announce their own revised hours in coming weeks.
(Cal-Tax: Is this the city leaders' retribution on the public for rejecting the sales tax increase? This appears to be a proposal for maximum inconvenience for residents, with no savings, since everyone who gets paid by the city still will be working on the "closed" Fridays.) (Sources: San Diego Union-Tribune, May 21; City of Chula Vista press release, May 20.)
Cal-Taxletter, May 29, 2009
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