COVID-19 budget crunch hits first responders & critical services
/COVID-19 budget crunch hits first responders & critical services
By: Robert Foreman
The economic budget crunch that has been unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting every profession, including first responders. Recently, Mayor Gary McCarthy of Schenectady, NY threatened to lay off 40 cops and 33 firefighters to plug a projected $11.5 million dollar budget hole unless federal aid was restored. He also noted that the city would have to make deep cuts in other areas to make up for lost revenue. McCarthy noted that if the federal aid isn’t restored, and the job cuts are not made, that the municipality would be bankrupt by the end of the year. Sadly, this is the reality that many first responders are facing throughout the nation as they are being laid off and furloughed.
At a time when first responders, and other critical services, are needed the most some cities are finding themselves facing deep reductions. This not only includes law enforcement and firefighters, but sanitation and health services. According to an estimate by the National League of Cities, 300,000 and 1 million public sector workers could soon find themselves being laid off or sent home without pay. The thought of that just seems astounding under normal circumstances, but in the midst of a national health crisis it seems unimaginable.
The budget crunch comes from the massive loss in revenue due to businesses being closed as many people stay home. There are those who estimate that we could find ourselves back in another Great Recession if federal funds are not pumped into the cities and states. As usual, the politicians in Washington are playing political games as they try to one up each other as the country struggles. Now is not the time for partisan politics. Until the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the top priority of those in Washington should be ensuring that the cities and states have the funds to keep critical employees, as well as critical services, in place.
Once you start laying off law enforcement officers, and firefighters, to plug budget holes then you’re setting yourself up for disaster. They are the definition of essential workers. They are the people who have the training to maintain law and order and deal with emergencies. If their numbers are reduced then the remaining officers and firefighters will find themselves being worked to their limits. Or, in an even worse scenario, those first responders will have to determine which emergencies to handle simply because they won’t have the manpower to deal with every critical situation. Then there is the fact that with less law enforcement on the streets the criminals will feel that they have a free pass. If that happens, even more innocent lives are being placed at risk. Or worse yet, unarmed civilians will find themselves falling prey to those who think they can take the law into their own hands by playing judge, jury and executioner.
The current restrictions, and economic conditions, that we are all enduring are already placing undue strain and stress on everyone. Do we really have to face the possibility of not having enough first responders on the streets to maintain order and handle whatever emergency arises? Apparently, that is the reality that many people could face as cities and states struggle to balance their books. However, expecting the first responders, who risk their lives on a regular basis, to sit back quietly while their jobs hang in the balance over politics and budget cuts is a slap in the face. The politicians in Washington love to talk about how much they value first responders. Now, more than ever, is the time for them to prove it with their actions by providing the states with the funds they need to keep first responders paid and on the streets. Anything less than immediate action is just empty words and political bullshit.
