BATON ROUGE — Mayor-President Sid Edwards said government layoffs due to the city-parish budget crisis started in his office on Monday. 

Edwards said four of his employees were laid off, "unfortunately, the first of many who will be affected, not only in my office but across our government."

Edwards' proposed 2026 budget included a workforce reduction of 420 positions across the city-parish. He said the cuts were necessary due to the rejection of his Thrive EBR plan to rededicate money from the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Council on Aging and Mosquito Abatement to the city-parish's general fund. 

Edwards says cuts to other departments will begin Jan. 1 and continue through the first quarter of 2026.

The Thrive EBR plan went before voters Saturday and each of three elements died.