Saratoga Springs Faces 4% Workforce Cut Under Proposed 2027 Budget

At least three Saratoga Springs city employees could lose their jobs in 2027 under an austerity budget that pairs an 18% property tax increase with a 4% reduction of the municipal workforce. Workers made direct appeals to the City Council at a public hearing Wednesday evening on the proposed 2027 spending plan.

The Department of Finance's budget includes measures to cut spending and raise revenue. Council members said Tuesday they will try to save the threatened jobs by pursuing additional revenue opportunities.

What does this change for city workers?

For the union that represents them, the headline number understates the strain. Lisa Watkins, president of the Civil Service Employees Association Saratoga County Local 846 and of the CSEA Saratoga Springs City Hall Unit, told the council the true impact is larger than three positions.

• 91 Saratoga Springs city employees belong to the CSEA, including City Hall staff, water treatment plant employees and public safety dispatchers.
• City Hall currently has 10 funded positions that have remained unfilled in previous years.
• "When we hear that the proposal affects only three positions, I ask you to remember that the actual impact is 13," Watkins said. "Ten positions are already vacant, and the members who remain are absorbing the responsibilities and workload left behind."

Watkins, who works in the Public Safety Department, said past councils have started initiatives to find new revenue and retain employees but ultimately stopped short. "I've been through so many councils where they're trying to balance the budget off our salaries," she said. "All we want to do is come to work, provide for our families, and know that we have a stable job here." She urged the council: "Look for other options. Push towards it."

Which roles are at risk?

One targeted position sits in the Assessment Office within the Department of Accounts. Clinton Greene, a CSEA member who collects property data there, said eliminating his job would leave the office with just two employees: the assistant city assessor and the assessment clerk. His duties include assessing property values and fieldwork such as measuring and inspecting houses, and his responsibilities would fall to the assistant city assessor, who normally dedicates their time to working with people in the office.

"It's a huge burden," Greene said, adding that processes in the Assessment Office will slow down. "We are people who, every day, provide essential functions for the city and its taxpayers, and always with a smile," he told the council. "Yes, benefits cost money, but so does turnover, burnout, and things falling through the cracks because there are not enough people to manage everything." Greene said he does not believe every other option has been thoroughly exhausted.

Can new revenue save the jobs?

Finance Commissioner JoAnne Kiernan acknowledged the pressure on employees: "This is probably one of the most difficult times in my career. We talk about it daily, about what we can do with minimal impact on employees. I understand where you guys are coming from." Mayor Safford struck a different note: "The fact is Saratoga is doing great." Safford said the problem is growing expenses outpacing revenue.

Layoff discussions also extend to the fire department, where potential cuts are under review at public safety budget meetings. Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Coll said the department is seeking revenue generators, including a slight increase in ambulance transport fees through its vendor. "Every single day we look at opportunities to find new revenue," Coll said. "The goal is, hopefully, that with that slight increase, we could save two positions in the Fire Department."

The council's hunt for new revenue streams, from transport fees to other sources, will determine whether the 2027 budget passes with layoffs or without them.