Budget Cuts Continue
Governor Patterson continues to detail his proposed cuts. [Quoted from the Times Union article.]
Work force: The plan calls for a delay of salary for five days this fiscal year essentially moving a week’s worth of payroll off this year’s accounts. Also, the Governor is asking to withold the 3 percent 2009-10 salary increase previously negotiated with several unions. Also, state workers will be asked to contribute a greater share to their health insurance costs; require workers and retirees to contribute to Medicare Part B premiums.
As a state employee, I have to admit all these budget cuts make me very uneasy about job security. No one at SED has lost their job at this point, nor has anyone been “encouraged” to retire early. Although, I can’t say everyone wasn’t mildly concerned when the Commissioner announced his resignation.
I’m not exactly thrilled with the idea of not getting a raise next year and losing a week of pay AND having a higher premium or deductible or BOTH. But I would certainly rather have my job at the end of the day if it meant having to suffer through any or all of that. From what I’ve been hearing, though, the unions are not happy with this plan and are being quite rigid about their already agreed upon contracts. I can understand that, considering some of them were several years behind when they finally went through earlier this year.
Oh, well.