We’ll Do More With Less

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007 | Sorry, Evan, but you missed the point, which is that city jobs were cut, despite the fact that the displaced employees found open jobs. There are always unfilled positions; it takes time to work through the city recruiting, testing and interview process. And of course if there is a hiring freeze, many more positions go unfilled without any analysis of the impact on services. Some key jobs are, however, filled even during freezes. When jobs are cut, as they have been frequently in the past, there is an attempt to match up employee skills and training with open positions. This saves money, and restores service to budgeted level quickly.

When jobs are cut, service levels will be cut, too. The city has been playing the tune “we’ll do more with less” since Prop 13 in 1978. The only way that can work is if the citizens agree to “expect less with less,” but we know that won’t happen. In essence, it became “we’ll do less with less” in the 1980s.

So look at the overall numbers of jobs cut. In the process the city has been able to retain tested and valued employees and save money while doing it. That’s good management whether in the public sector or private enterprise.