Mayor Bloomberg's bare-bones budget for next year will slash the city work force by 23,000 and drastically increase its sales tax, officials revealed Thursday.
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Bloomberg's scaled-back plan plugs a $4billion deficit, but officials warned that the work force will shrink further if the state and feds don't approve reforms to city pensions, employee health care contributions and Medicaid relief.
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Among those on the chopping block will be roughly 15,000 teachers and other educators, a move United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten warned "would be devastating" to schools.
Because what you want in a severe economic downturn is fewer teachers and cops.