Background
The City is restructuring and cutting seven “core service” areas by as much as 20%, impacting as many as 240 CPPW members (about 30%) who work in these areas:
- Communications
- Community engagement
- Equity
- Budget and finance
- Human resources (HR)
- Procurement
- Technology
CPPW has been tracking this closely and pushing City leaders to work directly with impacted staff and labor partners instead of making decisions behind closed doors, actively pushing for transparency, worker involvement, and fair treatment throughout this process.
Important updates
Layoff survey
The city does not provide clear, timely, or complete information about possible layoffs or the impact of realignment. If you or someone you know has been notified of potential layoff already, please fill out the layoff survey so we can track this better and connect you with a steward.
Next Info & Strategy Session – Wednesday, April 15 at 12 pm
Workers across the city are starting to get informal notices about possible layoffs tied to core services realignment and the FY 2026–27 budget. This meeting is a chance to compare notes, get clear on what we know, review layoff and seniority protections in the contract, and talk about what you can do next. Details and Zoom link in your work Outlook, the CPPW calendar, and on Discord.
Timeline
The realignment of Communications was approved in the fall technical adjustment ordinance (TAO) and went into effect Jan. 2, 2026. For the areas of HR, Procurement, Technology, Equity, and Engagement, the City presented cut scenarios in a Budget Work Session, March 11, 2026 (slides and presentations here), with any approved cuts to be debated as part of the city’s FY 2026-27 budget, not within a spring TAO as had been shared previously. No cuts have been proposed yet for the area of Budget and Finance.
Status by area
Communications
Timing: Complete.
Detail: Developed over the course of 2025, included in the Fall 2025 Technical Adjustment Ordinance (TAO) – a mid-year City budget change – this realignment went into effect Jan 2, 2026.
Community engagement
Timing: Now part of the FY 2026-27 budget process with proposed cuts to be outlined in the Mayor’s proposed budget, debated by council, and with an effective date of July 1, 2026.
Detail: Despite the overlap of communications, equity, and engagement work, this realignment was being developed separately. Staff listening sessions were held Nov. 18 and 20 with at least one in-person follow-up last fall, not much since. Originally, CPPW was told the timeline for this realignment was uncertain, possibly waiting for the Chief Equity Officer to be hired. On March 10, we learned cut scenarious for Equity and Community Engagement would both be presented in a Budget Work Session March 11, 2026. Presentation slides here.
Equity
Timing: Now part of the FY 2026-27 budget process with proposed cuts to be outlined in the Mayor’s proposed budget, debated by council, and with an effective date of July 1, 2026.
Detail: No meaningful outreach to staff that we’re aware of, with CPPW told this realignment was on hold until after the results of a contractor hired in fall 2025 to evaluate the realignment (Ben Duncan, hired as a subcontractor of the NEX Strategies contract) and the hiring of a Chief Equity Officer. On March 10, we learned cut scenarios for Equity and Community Engagement would both be presented in a Budget Work Session March 11, 2026. Presentation slides here.
HR, Procurement, and Technology
Timing: Now part of the FY 2026-27 budget process with proposed cuts to be outlined in the Mayor’s proposed budget, debated by council, and with an effective date of July 1, 2026.
Detail: These three areas were initially being evaluated together, part of an extensive contract with NEX Strategies that was meeting primarily with upper management over the course of 2025. City leaders held one webinar for staff in mid-December 2025 that provided little concrete information. The assumption is a developed plan would be part of a spring TAO. City leaders did not follow up with a single communication until an email from Tracy Warren to staff late Friday, March 6 to say that some town halls were being planned. Warren’s email did not include links or information to the following week’s Budget Work Session March 11, 2026 where proposed cuts will be aired. Presentation slides here.
Budget and Finance
Timing: Unknown, after the FY 26-27 budget cycle.
Details: Originally, this core service area was being evaluated with HR, Procurement, and Technology, by the same contractor and workgroups of upper management. However, for reasons not shared with labor, the city is not moving forward with core realignment in this area until after the current FY 26-27 budget cycle.
Additional details are on the City employee website under the Core Services Realignment Project (internal City employees site).
Contact
If you have questions, concerns, ideas, or information about how realignment is playing out in your bureau or workgroup, please reach out:
- Stacy Brewster (PBOT), At-Large Board Member – board1@cppwunion.org
- Kari Koch (PP&D), President – president@cppwunion.org
If you are being told that your position is targeted for layoff, please fill out our layoff survey so we can track this and connect you with a steward for support.
Previous letter to City leadership
On October 29, 2025, CPPW’s Executive Board sent a letter to the mayor, City Council, auditor, and the City administrators overseeing each of the seven core service areas (budget/finance, communications, community engagement, equity, HR, procurement, and technology).
The letter lays out critical guidance for how this realignment should be done: with transparency, worker input, and respect for the people doing the work.
The letter was also filed as testimony for the Fall 2025 Technical Adjustment Ordinance (TAO).