From Iceland — Reykjavík Looking at Budget Cuts

Reykjavík Looking at Budget Cuts

Published August 10, 2010

Reykjavík is going to have to make some hard choices when it comes to the city budget, where significant cuts need to be made in order to make up for a lack of revenue.
Mayor Jón Gnarr told RÚV that he plans on making cuts to upper management to save money, but will not cut city services. He would not say, however, whether the saving measures would take the form of reductions in salaries, or in firing people altogether.
The most recent saving measure the city made was when he returned the official mayoral car and received instead a hydrogen powered car, loaned to him by a company wishing to showcase their technology. With little gestures such as this, Gnarr contends, the city can save a lot of money.
There are a number of major projects before city council at the moment, all of them awaiting approval and funding. The budget is more limited than ever, though, as the difficult financial times we live in have tightened the purse strings in every level of government.

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