| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Politix |
| With no budget, California to cut 20,000 state jobs |
| 2009-02-17 |
| California, which is on the brink of running out of cash, will notify 20,000 state workers on Tuesday their jobs may be eliminated, a spokesman for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said on Monday. The announcement came a day after California lawmakers narrowly failed to pass a $40 billion budget that would have plugged the state's deficit with a mix of tax hikes and spending cuts. "In the absence of a budget, the governor has a responsibility to realize state savings any way he can," said Aaron McLear, a spokesman for the Republican governor. "This is unfortunately a necessary decision." The layoff notices will affect about 20 percent of state workers, McLear said, adding the cuts would extend to every part of state government. The positions would be eliminated in June in preparation for California's next fiscal year, which starts in July. California, America's most populous state and the world's eighth biggest economy, has experienced a dramatic fall in revenues because of the housing downturn, rising unemployment and a sharp pullback in consumer spending. To conserve cash, the state has stopped public works projects, furloughed state employees for two days a month and postponed sending out tax refunds. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #8 ...the worst offenders are in the revenue department and in public health. Dude, I could tell you some stories about the Mass. DOR that would make you blow gaskets. |
| Posted by: Raj 2009-02-17 20:06 |
| #7 From what I understand from my aunt and cousins living in the northern part of the state, 250,000 jobs could be cut before they'd be affected. The state has a bloated bureaucracy, like most states. There are too many people paid for work they never do, and many, many more that do such sloppy work it has to be done over again. It's not just in the transportation sector, either - the worst offenders are in the revenue department and in public health. My news is second-hand, so if there's a Californian out there with better data, please let me know. I'm not criticizing California - we have similar problems here in Colorado, where a tremendous number of former Californians have moved to in the last 20 years (think there's a correlation?). |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-02-17 19:02 |
| #6 They will cut rank and file police, fire and other public safety personnel first. "We have to protect our phoney baloney jobs here, gentlemen! We must do something about this immediately! Immediately! Immediately! Harrumph! Harrumph!" If I ran my finances like the Democrat California legislature here's what would happen: Year 1: Things are OK and I get a $20,000 bonus on top of my $80,000 salary. I immediately buy a bigger house, new car and the RV I've always wanted. Year 2: There is no bonus this year. No problem, I borrow money from friends and relatives to make the payments. Year 3: My boss is cutting back and my salary is reduced to $60,000. I'm keeping the house, car and RV, but cutting back on food, clothing, health insurance, heating and maintenance on car and house. I'm financially upside down. DOH! |
| Posted by: GolfBravoUSMC 2009-02-17 18:56 |
| #5 Employees aren't the problem, the programs are. Until they trim or eliminate the "unnecessary" programs and/or support for illegals this is all scare tactics. |
| Posted by: tipover 2009-02-17 17:03 |
| #4 "California, America's most populous state and the world's eighth biggest economy, has experienced a dramatic fall in revenues because of the housing downturn, rising unemployment and a sharp pullback in consumer spending." The writer misspelled "taxing and regulating businesses to death." |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2009-02-17 16:33 |
| #3 How many taxpaying people (i.e. real workers, not state leaches) will notice the difference? |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles the flatulent 2009-02-17 15:48 |
| #2 Yo, Octuplet lady. You're on your own. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-02-17 14:57 |
| #1 A good start. We can only hope they cut unnecessary departments rather than truly necessary ones. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-02-17 14:54 |