Bama

Alabama's most populous county

is preparing for mass layoffs because of a budget crisis

 

The Jefferson County Commission

approved a third wave of budget cuts on Tuesday

 reducing department budgets by one-third

 or almost $32 million

 

The president of the commission

…said officials will immediately start laying off

several hundred of the county's 3,600 employees

 

That number could reach 1,000

 

Jefferson County

 is trying to avoid filing the largest bankruptcy in US history

 over a debt crunch linked to sewer bonds

 

Ala county begins mass layoffs after budget cuts

Associated Press, July 1, 2009

 

Should many well-run businesses and educated workers

be attracted by a financially sound, well-managed municipality

with relatively low tax rates

as what may be the worst recession since the Great Depression

transitions to the next era of economic prosperity?