More than 100 workers face an impending lay off as the Passaic County, NJ officials scout for effective ways to close the $7 million budget gap in 2011. The Board of Chosen Freeholders, with 6-1 votes, will now order the county Administrator Anthony J. De Nova to start creating a layout plan on the slated job cuts to be approved by the state Civil Service Commission. The lay off is scheduled to take effect in March 2011.

Freeholder Director Bruce James said that they will exhaust all possible ways to solve the budget crisis without resorting to the statewide job cuts. “Layoffs are a last resort — but are the only alternative if Democrats and Republicans can’t come to an agreement on how to replenish a small county-administered pension fund that covers about 85 elderly retirees, plus liability and Workers Compensation pools.” James added: “If we don’t reach an accord, then it’s either raise taxes or make the appropriate cuts. If it comes down to layoffs, the longer you delay the layoff notice, the more people you have to send out the door.”

The members of the board were not yet decided as to how the budget deficit will be mended or whether to push through with the layoff. There were various options being presented by the different members. Four Democrats wanted to bond for these costs and follow the strategy employed by the previous freeholder boards in 1998 and 2003. However, the three Republicans have refused to add new debt. As of today, no final decision has been made and all options are still being weighed.