NASHVILLE — Gov. Phil Bredesen said today he will consider implementing state employee furloughs and contract freezes as he makes cuts in the 2010-2011 budget he presents next year to Tennessee lawmakers.
“I am very willing to look at that,” said Gov. Bredesen, who begins a series of budget hearings Monday with department heads.
Tennessee, like other states, has seen its revenues plummet as a result of the recession. Gov. Bredesen is asking state agencies to prepare 6 percent cuts from their budgets and an extra 3 percent in cuts in the event that revenues continue struggling.
He recently said “it would be impossible to imagine they could do that without putting layoffs on the table.” The state is already using savings and stimulus funds to delay some 700 layoffs until the end of the current fiscal year.
Earlier this week, Tennessee State Employees Association acting President Almous Austin questioned the need for additional cuts.
“Who will provide services to the citizens across the state?” Mr. Austin said.
Andy Sher is a Nashville-based staff writer covering Tennessee state government and politics for the Times Free Press. A Washington correspondent from 1999-2005 for the Times Free Press, Andy previously headed up state Capitol coverage for The Chattanooga Times, worked as a state Capitol reporter for The Nashville Banner and was a contributor to The Tennessee Journal, among other publications. Andy worked for 17 years at The Chattanooga Times covering police, health care, county government, ...
Or login with:
New Account