(Excerpt) More than half of U.S. cities have cut staff, canceled construction projects or raised fees this year, according to a report from the National League of Cities that catalogs the vast damage from shrunken property- and income-tax revenue.
Many have had to make up the gap by laying off employees, freezing pay,
cutting services, raising fees or suspending building projects.
One in five had cut spending on public safety.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/28/cities-staff-cuts_n_984705.html
In one North Carolina town, some residents may not get an answer to their 911 calls because the police are running out of gas money.
In a town council meeting Tuesday night, Smithfield, North Carolina Police Chief Michael Scott will ask officials to let him use $30,000 meant for office supplies to buy gas for patrol cars, the Raleigh News and Observer reports. If he doesn't get the money, Smith said
the police force may stop responding to some 911 calls and investigating misdemeanors because he's already cut patrols.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/...ney_n_1069470.html?ref=business&ncid=webmail1
Half of all US cities have had to make cuts and one in five have cut spending on public safety. There's only so much they can cut before services are affected.