Layoffs, cost-cutting at Chicago colleges

Mayor Richard M. Daley says the seven Chicago City Colleges will lay off 225 non-teaching employees, eliminate 86 unfilled jobs and cut administrative credit card use and travel.

Daley said Thursday at Olive-Harvey College on the city's South Side that the goal is to pump more money into technology and training for the system's 115,000 students.

Daley and system officials said that this year's $457.5 million budget -- a $40 million increase from last year's spending -- was made possible, in part, by a nine percent surge in enrollment and a tuition increase.

With more students, the system gets $19 million more in federal funding and $10 million more from the state.

And for the second straight year, the system will reduce its annual property tax levy -- this time by $3 million.