Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam says state job cuts haven't hurt services

photo Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is pictured in this file photo. (Photo by Wade Payne, Special to the News Sentinel)

NASHVILLE -- Tennessee government services have not suffered even though there are fewer full-time state workers on the job today than before the 2008 recession, Gov. Bill Haslam says.

Following a speech to the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, the governor said Monday that "our focus is on producing results. And one of the things you have to look is what's the best way to do that. So I actually think that the state services in Tennessee have not fallen off."

Haslam, who took office in January, was responding to a Times Free Press report about the 9 percent decline in full-time employees over the past four budgets. Tennessee State Employees Association officials said fewer workers are creating problems in state services.

Tennessee State Employees Association Executive Director Robert O'Connell said he has concerns about the impact of cuts both on state workers and ordinary Tennesseans because "the services that these people provide are not going to be available."

Haslam disagreed.

"If you look at our state's services, one of the things we're trying to do is make every one of them better, whether it be fixing potholes or getting you the permit that you need or making certain that you get your benefits when you're supposed to," the governor said. "As a matter of fact, our commitment is to make them even better."

Legislative figures show there were 47,102 full-time positions in fiscal year 2007-08. In the four budgets following the 2008 recession, that number has fallen to a projected 42,856 in the current 2012 budget that took effect July 1.

State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, said he also is worried about the impact of fewer state workers.

"Like every taxpayer, I am concerned whenever you see government waste or excessive people," Berke said. "At this point, however, my concern is that we have allowed people to leave because of attrition without replacing them.

"So you end up with gaps not because you've cut purposely, but just because that's where people happened to have left," Berke said. "In the long run, we'll need to assess how we deliver our services with the right number of people rather than downsizing just through attrition."

The senator said he hears "occasional complaints from constituents who are trying to obtain services and can't get to the right people."

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During his speech to Farm Bureau members, Haslam said state revenues are expected to grow by $300 million this budget year, but demands in areas such as the state's K-12 school funding formula, health care, TennCare and employee pensions, costs are expected to grow by $500 million.

"So we're having to take a look at making some hard looks at adjustments," Haslam said.

After taking office, Haslam ordered department heads to conduct "top to bottom reviews" of operations to determine how effectively the state is providing services, whether the state should even be providing a particular service and whether it can be outsourced more cheaply.

The website TNReport recently reported that just two of the 23 departmental reports have been completed but others are in the finishing stages or awaiting approval to be incorporated in Haslam's recommendations to lawmakers next year.

Contact staff writer Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550.

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