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2009-08-18 08:25:53
Public services in the US city of Chicago have been shut down for a day as the
authorities face an expected budget shortfall of some $300m ( 184m).
Non-essential services such as rubbish collections, libraries and health
centres were closed, in the first of three planned reduced service days.
City authorities hope the move, with workers taking an enforced unpaid holiday,
will save an estimated $8.3m.
Other cities in the US have already introduced similar measures.
The savings from Chicago's reduced service days are small compared with the
overall deficit.
But in a statement last week, Chicago's Mayor Richard M Daley thanked state
employees for their "sacrifice".
"Every dollar we save from these measures helps to save jobs, and in the
long-term, maintain service for Chicagoans," he said.
"This plan engages most civilian employees to accept cuts and to be part of the
solution to our budget crisis."
Two more reduced service days have been scheduled - one for 27 November, the
day after Thanksgiving and another for Christmas Eve, 24 December.
Workers have also been asked to take a series of unpaid days off and holidays
without salary.
Chicago is one of a number of US cities and states to introduce closures and
furlough days to address deficits.
In California, which has a budget deficit of some $24.3bn ( 14.5bn) and has
declared a fiscal emergency, state offices have been ordered to close for three
days each month.
Michigan has said it will not pay its state employees on six days up to the end
of September, to save nearly $22m.