NASHVILLE - Fearing additional worker cuts stemming from Gov. Bill Haslam's "top to bottom review" of Tennessee government, state employees today launched an effort to root out government waste in hopes of sparing programs and jobs.

"Continuing to lay off state employees means disappearing state services," Tennessee State Employees Association Executive Director Robert O'Connell said. "We don't think that this is the vision of the citizens of this state. What they want is for government to run efficiently. They want to feel that their tax dollars are being spent wisely."

In a news conference, O'Connell said the group has started a "Cut Waste, Not Services" program in which it is soliciting money-saving ideas from employees themselves. They hope to present Haslam and lawmakers with a list of suggestions by year's end.

He said employees have already offered ideas such as letting employees do all required work "instead of contracting out at additional expense."

For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.