Allen Park (MI) to lay off entire fire department

Source: Detroit Free Press

Blaming budget woes on a failed movie studio arrangement, the Allen Park City Council voted Tuesday night to issue layoff notices to its firefighters.

The notices are to be issued this morning and would take effect in 30 days, although Mayor Gary Burtka said he’s “hoping to negotiate to avoid that.”

The layoffs affect all 27 firefighters except for the chief, who is appointed. City officials could not say how much they need to save to avoid following through with the layoffs or how deep the city financial troubles are in the city. They also did not say whether they have a backup plan if the firefighters are laid off.

The decision to issue the layoff notices was attributed to financial problems caused by the decision announced last year by Unity Studios to leave the city for Detroit.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/article/20110222/NEWS02/110223001/Allen-Park-lay-off-entire-fire-department?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

ironing? oy.:eyes: edited for spelling.

She said how the movie industry is moving out of Allen Park because of Rick Snyder's doing.

Cities love to do this to scare their residents. I'm sure they could have found 27 people in other departments to lay off, if layoffs were necessary. But, laying off the entire fire department scares people. So, that's what they do.

How about making the people that made the mistakes pay the price.....
See post #4

http://firegeezer.com/2011/02/23/michigan-city-laying-off-entire-fire-department/

The mayor convinces the city council to sell $25 million of bonds for property worth $14 million
and did not check to see if the guy had the financial backing
The mayor and city council screw up and cost the city money and then turn around and make the firefighters pay the price.
For their screw up the mayor and city council should have to work for free until their mess is cleaned up

There is a bizarre regression into the third world in parts of this country.

many communities in this country rely on volunteer fire companies (which are non-for-profit corporations) to provide fire protection- and the overwhelming majority of them do a damn good job

And they have to stand in the street once a year and beg for our spare change in order to buy things they need. Our small village and rural town contribute but they still have to do an annual coin drop..

I'm talking about even further back when you had to buy a fire protection contract from a firefighting company. You and your neighbor have different "companies" serving you.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20110222/BIZ/102220360/Tax-breaks-for-films-get-star-billing
http://www.freep.com/article/20110221/ENT01/102210379/-Avengers-pulls-out-other-films-might-follow-after-proposed-incentive-change-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
http://www.freep.com/article/20110221/BUSINESS06/102210377/Study-finds-film-incentives-bring-millions-state-coffers

Giving money to corporations to 'bring jobs'.


After about a year of occupancy in Allen Park, Unity Studios and the Lifton Institute left the Allen Park Studio Center and moved to Detroit in late September.

This was after they had promised 3,000 industry jobs and a multimillion-dollar project.


http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2011/02/05/news/doc4d4c6890668f7822854417.txt?viewmode=fullstory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3dqnw2c1fo - Video of Jimmy Lifton/Unity Studios from 2009 talking about the new Studio.

I was raised here,left for a few years and came back about 7 years ago. This is a great place to live, great schools etc. I am FURIOUS about this.
I am seriously thinking about moving. I feel unsafe and unprotected.