CVEA Position on Chula Vista Budget Crisis

Richard Preus presented at the Community Forum held 1/2/09 by Southbay Forum, Southwest Chula Vista Civic Association, and Northwest Civic Association about Chula Vista's 20 million dollar budget deficit. More at www.chulavistaissues.org/unioncomments.htm CVEA employees provide quality of life services. They work in libraries, recreation centers, fix the street lights, potholes, graffiti, mow the lawns, clean the buildings, paint, fix the computers, type and file, etc. This is the fourth financial crisis in 15 months. The employees have already suffered from many layoffs. There are now many fewer people trying to do more work. Laying off CVEA employees is a public safety issue. The after school programs and the open pools, recreation centers and libraries keep children and teenagers occupied, supervised and out of trouble, as well as supporting the development of academic and healthy living skills. Trimming trees avoids accidents. Keeping trash out of parks and other required maintenance provides a healthy safe place for residents to enjoy. The Park Rangers (who are scheduled to be laid off) make sure that those who reserve spaces in parks get to use them as well as providing supervision to prevent vandalism. All services the City Manager is suggesting cutting (by laying off employees) will diminish the quality of life of residents.

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YouTube | January 3, 2009