Rome Mayor Jackie Izzo says construction vital to jump starting economy, lauds municipal shared work program By Luke Perry
Mayor Jackie Izzo said Rome’s response to the pandemic has been “extremely busy” since “we are all learning on the fly,” reacting to Executive Orders by Governor Cuomo.
Izzo told Talk of the Town (WUTQ in Utica) the “biggest change” was the closure of municipal buildings and the adoption of a teleworking model. Izzo said the transition was “seamless,” thanks to the fantastic work of employees. “We haven’t missed a beat.”
New projects and development have continued. “We have to keep the construction flowing,” Izzo believes, because “that’s going to help jumpstart the economy.”
Rome’s sales tax revenue fell 25 percent in the second quarter of this year. Izzo anticipates a 20 percent decline overall for the year.
Photo from City of Rome
Izzo directed every department to cut 10 percent of their budgets, prompting cuts to services, such as parks and recreation summer programs. Izzo adopted a shared work program for municipal employees to avoid furloughs and layoffs.
Employees work three days a week with full pay and collect unemployment benefits the other two days. The city pays 60 percent of their salary and full benefits. New York State’s social safety net covers the remaining 40 percent. Izzo said this has saved Rome “hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
“You don’t have anywhere else to go” to cut expenses Izzo said, because personnel compromise 60 to 70 percent of municipal budgets.
Most employees “will end up even or with a little more money,” thanks to the additional $600 a week afforded by increased federal unemployment relief, provided these benefits are extended beyond the current deadline of July 31.
The House passed the HEROES Act, extending elevated unemployment benefits until the end of the year, but the Senate has not taken up the legislation.
Photo from Mayor Izzo
“I’m not totally convinced” the federal government will provide additional aid to state and local governments, Izzo said, even though they “absolutely should.”
The region’s federal representatives are “working day and night” to make this happen, Izzo said, but “for some reason in Washington we’re the mean stepchild or something.”
This makes little sense to Izzo, because “municipalities have to stay open. We have to provide the services.”
Luke Perry (@PolSciLukePerry) is Professor of Government at Utica College
