Central Falls Bankruptcy Update "All Contracts with Municipal Workers and Retirees Including Police and Fire Workers Immediately Voided"

In an update to my post earlier today and as expected, but sooner than expected (less than a day) Central Falls Collective Bargaining Contracts Voided In Bankruptcy.

The state-appointed receiver overseeing cash-strapped Central Falls filed for bankruptcy Monday morning on the city's behalf in an effort to help it get back on its financial feet.

Receiver Robert G. Flanders announced the step at City Hall Monday. He was joined by Governor Chafee, who says the move is needed to address Central Fall's finances.

All contracts with municipal workers and retirees, including the fire and police departments, are immediately voided.

Retirees must begin to pay 20 percent of their medical coverage effective immediately, as Flanders proposed when he met with the city's retirees July 19.

"Everything was done to avoid this day," Flanders said.

"Services have been cut to the bone. Taxes have been raised to the maximum level allowable.

"We negotiated with Council 94 and the police and fire unions, without success, attempting to reach voluntary concessions, and we tried in vain to persuade our retirees to accept voluntary reductions in their benefits."

In papers filed with the bankruptcy court, Flanders said, "the city's to the point where it is insolvent. The overwhelming pension obligations and the slowing economy, among other factors, have significantly decreased revenues while the city's operational costs have increased."

Deficits are expected to grow in each of the coming years, he said.

"On or before August 21, 2011, the city will lack sufficient revenues or cash flow to pay its bills as they become due, and then will not be able to pay its debts as they become due in every succeeding month for the remainder of the fiscal year (which ends on June 30, 2012) except for the month of October 2011... In addition, the city is no longer able to access capital markets."

Flanders says that through the Chapter 9 proceeding, "the city seeks to develop and implement a plan of debt adjustment that will return the city to solvency and viability. To do so, the city must modify its debts and obligations so that they do not exceed the city's projected revenues.

"The motion to void the city's three collective bargaining agreements," Flanders states, "is a critical step toward achieving that objective.

"Simply stated, the city cannot restore balance to its budget unless it restructures its labor costs as a critical element of any plan to debt adjustment. In FY 2012, the largest city expenditure is the cost of labor, and the largest portion of the city's labor costs is paid to union employees."

"Given today's action," General Treasurer Gina M. Raimondo said in a news release, "the governor and I are even more resolved to pursue comprehensive pension reform this fall to protect other state and municipal retirees and employees as well as taxpayers from the heartache of the drastic measures being taken in Central Falls. None of these groups did anything wrong and allowing this to happen again is unacceptable."

The above is an update to my post earlier today Central Falls Rhode Island Files Chapter 9 Bankruptcy; Court Asked to Negate Collective bargaining Agreements; Vallejo Precedent

Central Falls was bankrupt years ago and I said so repeatedly. The costs on taxpayers to delay this bankruptcy have been severe.

Once states realize that bankruptcy is not tantamount to statewide Armageddon, there will be a flood of city bankruptcies.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
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