No ‘rock stars’ here

Today, the color pink is all the rage in San Francisco.

No, it’s not the latest in summer swimwear or a flash mob planning to sing Pink’s big hit “So What” in unison. We’re talking about the type of pink that comes in the form of a letter from your employer saying “cutbacks are forcing us to eliminate your position.”

That’s right, it’s Pink Slip Day in the city and county of SF and although the estimated 15,000 workers who will receive the notices are in a furor over the layoffs, there is a silver lining to the situation.

“The purpose of this is to avoid layoffs,” Mayor Gavin Newsom said to a TV news crew Thursday. “… to allow them [workers] the dignity of maintaining their healthcare. I’m waiting for a better alternative.”

These layoffs will go into effective in early May, at which time many of those affective will be able to return to their jobs if they agree to work no more than 37.5 hours per week. According to Newsom, the 6.25 reduction in salary will save the city $50 million, a much-needed shot in the arm as the city faces a $522 million budget deficit going into the new fiscal year.

Losing a job during rough economic times is no fun … I know first hand. But if my former job had given me the opportunity to reapply at a reduced salary, and still keep my health benefits, I would have grinned and bore it.

I understand the frustration city employees and the residents-at-large feel over San Francisco’s constant inability to wrangle in an out-of-control budget, but I see this as a chance to keep some form of money – more than bi-weekly unemployment benefits – flowing into your household.

In Newsom’s grand plan, fire, police and Muni operators – who are having their own challenges these days – will not be affected. Another saved clique: city attorneys. Now that’s the group I question. But in a city plagued with lawsuits and alleged wrong doings, it may be wise to keep them around.

Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig is an award-winning journalist who resides in the Bay Area. Contact her at talk2mfc@yahoo.com or visit her blog at stpminute.blogspot.com.

Fighting for our future

Whitney Houston and I are in agreement: We believe the children are our future.

Yeah, it’s cliché and has been heard around the world way too many times, and I’d be pressed to find someone who doesn’t believe the same. But what are we doing to show the phrase is more than just words?

Our economy continues to struggle, our country is still at war and the state’s jobless rate is close to an all-time high. We struggle to make ends meet and struggle harder to give our children a taste of what we adults had ourselves. But with every corner we turn it seems those in the state Capitol and several in Washington are forgetting what building a better future really means.

It is important to get our country — and state — on solid ground again, but should this be done at the expense of our youth?

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Terminator 3.5: Rage against the Legislature

Editors note: Written prior to budget approval.

He said he’d do it and he meant it.

I’m not sure state lawmakers really believed that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would hand out 20,000 pink slips to state employees at various levels, but now he has. The move — which would see about half of those jobs eliminated sooner rather than later — reportedly will save the state about $750 million.

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Taking one for the team

It’s what thousand of youth across the country look forward to each year: A chance to represent his or her high school playing his or her favorite sport.

And why not … thanks to state budget cuts that have gone on for years, eliminating or reducing elective classes like art and music, there isn’t a whole lot, besides academics, to stimulate one’s mind.

But now, the opportunity to play sports – for fun or as a steppingstone to a college career – may be taken away from youth who attend one of the 11 schools in the East Side Union High School District. Earlier this week, Bob Nuñez, superintendent of the San Jose, Calif., district, proposed a cut to athletic programs to balance his budget. The school adopted the interim plan, which, if approved as part of the final budget in June, would cut spending by $11.4 million – $2.1 million from the various sports programs.

I understand it is a tough call for schools that are trying to figure out how best to trim their budgets. But taking something so vital from so many youth is ludicrous, not to mention would be detrimental to their futures.

Being true-blue team players, the San Jose Earthquakes – the local professional soccer team – and Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics have stepped up to the plate to work with the district to prevent the elimination of the sports programs.

Times are tough. Businesses are laying off workers left and right. But when looking to corporate spending in the upcoming weeks – sure to include a host of holiday festivities – and the future, corporate America can learn a little from these two professional sports teams about playing a game in which everyone will win.