The Las Vegas Sun Gets One Right: Time To Faint.

Proving the old adage a blind squirrel gets a nut once in a while, the Las Vegas Sun editors get one editorial correct.
"Like every other municipality in the state, Las Vegas is dealing with a looming budget shortfall that will require significant budget cuts. To close a $70 million budget shortfall, city officials say they will have to lay off 146 workers unless the employees’ unions renegotiate their contracts to cut costs. The unions, so far, have been reluctant to budge....
No matter what they decide, it is clear the lucrative contracts that unions have negotiated over the years, with the blessing of city leaders, have to be reworked. The contracts are simply not sustainable.
Studies have shown that the pay-and-benefits packages of local government workers in Southern Nevada are above average for other public employees across the nation and for workers here in the private sector with comparable jobs.
To try to avoid layoffs and protect city services, the city has asked the unions to give up scheduled salary increases in the next fiscal year and take an 8 percent cut to their compensation packages. Although a similar cut is expected the following year, the city says it is now only asking for cuts in the fiscal year that starts July.
The unions have yet to show that they understand the city’s financial situation. They are fighting the cuts, including the annual cost-of-living increases. Chris Collins, the head of the union that represents the city’s marshals, complained that if cuts are made in the next two years, the average marshal’s pay will be $58,000 a year. “They can’t live on $58,000,” he said, adding that that salary “puts them in bankruptcy and foreclosure.”
Seriously? They can’t live on that? That is more than the median household income in Clark County and a wage that many people would be thrilled to accept. Granted, employees currently living on substantially more would have to make major lifestyle changes if their paychecks shrank dramatically, but the city isn’t specifically asking for wage cuts. City officials have asked for an 8 percent reduction in total compensation, meaning the unions could give up other kinds of pay. The city provides a generous retirement contribution to its employees, which could be cut, and the city’s health benefits could be trimmed as well."
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/14/wake--call/
The fact is that there is less money coming into the City of Las Vegas and the surrounding communities. This isn't less money than projected, or any other fancy accounting tricks. The City is getting less money than in years past. Tens of millions of dollars less.
The unions are saying, "We don't care. Just raise taxes and pay us." It's not going to happen, especially in an election year.
Oscar Goodman, the mayor of Las Vegas has suggested to fire all the employees and hire them back at fewer hours per week. The unions cried like the late Tammy Faye Baker.
Most of the unions, and especially the firefighters union have said "piss on the City". But now it is time for the unions to face reality, either lose members and city services or share the pain.