CHICAGO, Illinois (PNN) - July 15, 2011 - Ganstretown Mayor Rahm Emanuel is sending layoff notices to about 625 city of Chicago employees and delaying 61 blocks of curb and gutter improvements and 76 blocks of sidewalk repairs after union leaders didn’t agree to work rule changes the mayor wants or offer alternate ways to cut costs by a deadline Friday.

“My duty as mayor is to protect our city’s taxpayers and be their voice - not to protect the city’s payroll,” Emanuel said at a City Hall news conference Friday. “No amount of smoke and mirrors can put off the tough decisions any longer.”

The layoff, which Emanuel said will save roughly $12 million, target 75% cut of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s seasonal workforce, as well as custodians at O’Hare Airport, Midway Airports and the city’s public libraries; and workers who run the city’s water-bill call center and manage city benefits.

The transportation department layoffs will be begin immediately. As a result, city curb and gutter repairs are being put off until next year.

Custodial services, benefits management and the water-bill call center will be privatized after 30- and 45-day layoff notices go out.

Prevously, thousands of job cuts and a two-year city hiring freeze had forced the city’s Department of Streets and Sanitation to dramatically cut back rodent control and forestry services, slowing, for example, the removal of trees damaged by this week’s violent thunderstorm.