A southeastern New Mexico city hit with declining revenues because of the area's oil downturn is slashing city employees' pay.
The Roswell Daily Record reports Artesia's nearly 200 city employees have had their annual salaries and hourly pay rates suddenly reduced by 10 percent due to the economic decline.
Those cuts include salary reductions for police officers and firefighters.
The reductions, which went into effect Aug. 1, were approved by the Artesia City Council last month.
Artesia Mayor Phil Burch said Artesia's gross receipt tax revenues are down 40 percent from two years ago. He says they also are down 20 percent from latest fiscal year that ended June 30.
Tax revenues for the city of about 11,000 people are closely linked with the oil and gas industry.
___
Information from: Roswell Daily Record.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.