Trees, Layoffs Grow in San Francisco

San Francisco is a bit greener, but printing pink slips on dead trees to city workers

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom promised more trees in his city, and he's made good on that promise.

However, his promise to balance the city's budget without raising taxes means layoffs at city agencies like the Department of Public Works, which will leave seventeen fewer people to maintain those trees.

The City will pay $570,000 a year for maintenance of the new trees -- paid to a contractor who won't have to employee union labor like the city.

And that's after more than $7 million was spent on planting the new trees.

And the contractor is only responsible for the new trees, not the thousands of existing trees across San Francisco.

Photo by Jason Tester.

Jackson West can't wait to see the other new and exciting ways San Francisco will replace highly paid union jobs with subcontractors who pay minimum wage for labor.

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