As part of the recent budget, Governor Don Carcieri will need to cut more than $57 million from all state departments and $5 million from consultants.  The Governor is looking at several options  One part of the plan involves unpaid furloughs for state employees.  It isn't known how many state employees will be afffected, how many unpaid days are being considered, or when an announcement will be made.  The only thing that is certain is that furloughs will be in the mix.  The Governor had this to say:

“We’re meeting intensely on that right now …. We’re laying the groundwork. It’s not going to be easy; it’s not going to be easy at all,” Carcieri said in an unrelated Friday interview. “We have a tentative plan; I’m not prepared to disclose any of that yet.”

Then, he added:

When asked if his plan would include furloughs, Carcieri responded: “Yes it will involve furloughs. It has to. The only way you’re going to find $70 million is essentially on the wages. We’ve already made the benefit changes. Part of it is how much, how many. And that’s what we’re working through right now.”

     Furloughs aren't the best place to get savings, since they are essentially a one shot deal.  It would have been better to get more substantial pension savings, or by consolidating departments.  Both moves would have saved money annually and decreased the size of state government.  Unfortunately, the General Assembly and Governor have painted themselves into a corner.

     Citizens should be annoyed that $57 million in savings were included in the budget without a plan on how to attain those savings.  Did Don Carcieri and the General Assembly graduate from the David Cicilline School of Budgeting?  Let's just include revenue which may not materialize and cuts that are to be named later!  Things will work out...maybe.  Of course, it looks like the unions will launch a legal challenge to any furloughs, so there is a chance those savings won't materialize.

     If I were a state employee, I'd be angry.  Of course, one of the reasons this is happening is because their benefit packages were not altered enough.  The pension plans are still very generous, and the health copays could be higher.  Plus, the state goverrnment could probably be streamlined substantially.  If you doubt this, take a look at this article.  In order to avoid furloughs, unions are looking for savings.  They know there is waste that can be cut.