Emanuel Gets to Work

AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato

Mayor Emanuel made good on his promise today to cut $75 million from a city budget that faces a deficit of over a half-billion dollars.

It's a largely symbolic gesture, but one that received praise from Civic Federation President Laurence Msall, who believes balancing the city budget will be Emanuel's greatest challenge.

The cuts ordered by Emanuel that will take place in the upcoming months include a mandate to city department heads to reduce their senior management staff by 10 percent; ordering 60 city workers on injury leave to return to less physically demanding tasks; less reliance on outside legal counsel; freezing all non-essential contract spending and improving management of city grants.

Emannuel said the symbolism of the order should not be lost on anyone.

“It is a blueprint for how we’re gonna deal with the larger, 10 percent reduction in the entire budget. It’s not gonna come from one place. … It will come from different areas. No one area will bear that burden.”