“We are supporting the austerity. Without austerity, it would be very difficult to make ends meet,” said the governor.
The Senate’s amended $150.5 million budget version included the mandatory closure of public offices every Friday, or a four-day work week.
According to the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee Report, the maximum full-time-employees level in the current pending budget bill, or House Bill 16-275, is set at 3,915, excluding that of the semi-autonomous Department of Public Lands.
In reality, however, the Office of Personnel Management said there are currently just 3,549 FTEs.
“The government cannot afford to fund FTEs that are not employed…. The maximum FTE level in the FA Committee bill is set at 3,556 based on a report from the Office of Personnel Management showing actual employment as of June 2, 2009…. The difference is 359 less than in H.B. 16-275…which are vacant and unfunded FTEs held by PSS,” the committee report stated.
It said this should be taken into account to balance the personnel budget.
“The [Senate version of the budget] bill uses the governor’s proposal for FY 2010 as a baseline. The austerity days of 52 are included in the bill…. Personnel numbers and base salaries are from the report by the Office of Personnel Management showing actual employment and base salaries as of June 2, 2009. This report did not list NMC, PSS or the Legislature,” it said.
“Actual employment levels cannot be sustained in FY 2010 without the implementations of austerity measures. The bulk of basic public services are financed with operational funding. When there are multi-million dollar drops in the funds put forth for operations, it becomes difficult to justify sustaining full sized or full time departments when they cannot provide services due to lack of funding,” it added.
