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In the middle of negotiations with several major unions, and trying to squeeze additional concessions to the tune of $250 million from public workers, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg?s recent comments about the possibility of layoffs are sounding a lot like scare tactics to many in fiscal and labor circles. The city is still negotiating a contract with its largest public sector union, District Council 37 (DC 37) to replace the contract which expired almost a month ago, and a contract for the city?s police officers is currently being decided on by a state panel---an approach being taken for the first time by the officers? union in hopes of a more favorable settlement. While Mayor Bloomberg has skirted around the issue of layoffs in interviews, City Council Members, union officials, social service advocates, community watchdog groups and the Working Families Party have all decried the possibility of harmful cuts in public services.