Seeking ways to fill a $33 million shortfall in the municipal budget, Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith said layoff notices are going to city employees, including police and fire officials.
“We hope we don’t have to lay anyone off,” the clearly unhappy Smith said during an interview on Thursday. “But we said all along this might be possible.”
Smith would not say how many jobs are at risk, hoping that he can still find another way to cut costs. But under contract provisions with the local unions, the city must give 45 days notice.
Smith said he is looking to trim about $1 million from the Fire Department budget and about $2 million from the police budget.
“This is not easy for me,” he said. “I know all of these people and most of their families.”
Smith served on the Bayonne Police Department, both as police officer and the department’s director before becoming the mayor last November.
The city is also expected to lay off employees in several other departments including the recreation department.
Smith said the city would be cutting several programs including the Faith-Based Initiatives program, which was established in Bayonne under then Mayor Joseph Doria to provide training, information and referral in the effort to find jobs for members in the community.
“As much as I think the program is a good idea, the city can’t afford it,” he said.
While the city’s 27th Street recreation center will be kept open, most of its programs will be cut or reduced in order to save f unds, Smith said.