State workers wait to learn their fates-Bredesen expected to slash budget
State Rep. Charles Curtiss was straightforward when talking about looming state budget cuts.
‘It’s going to be ugly,’ said Curtiss. ‘Every week it gets worse. Now we’re hearing we’re $500 to $600 million short so we don’t have any choice but to cut. I don’t think it’s going to be good, but it’s going to be necessary.’
Gov. Phil Bredesen, who is scheduled to present his budget to the General Assembly on Monday, said previously he thinks Tennessee needs to eliminate some $80 million from the state payroll. One way to accomplish this without layoffs, according to Curtiss, is to offer buyouts to longtime employees.
Whether this is enough to prevent a layoff has state employees from Memphis to Bristol on edge.
‘I hope everybody here gets to keep their job,’ said McMinnville resident Donnie Hollandsworth, who works for the local division of forestry. ‘But the cuts have to come from somewhere. They can look to the interstate, or they can look to the parks, or they can look to us. I’d say a lot will be laid off.’
Because Hollandsworth writes burning permits, his job is seasonal. He knows his job will end May 15. What he doesn’t know is if he’ll get to return to work Oct. 15.
‘There’s going to be a great resistance to layoffs,’ said Curtiss. ‘I’d rather get rid of new programs. Anything we didn’t have last year, there’s no reason to add it this year. Lives are a lot more important than programs.’
Comatose consumer spending has plunged the state into economic turmoil because sales tax is responsible for the bulk of state funding. With low sales tax collections, state lawmakers are faced with the reality of slashing programs and eliminating jobs.
Outside of education, which Bredesen says he doesn’t want to touch, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is one of the largest state employers in Warren County with 42 workers. This number includes personnel in construction, maintenance, floating maintenance, and bridge inspection/repair.
‘Regarding job losses, it remains to be seen how the budget shortfall will affect TDOT,’ said spokesperson Jennifer Flynn. ‘The governor will deliver budget revisions to the General Assembly on May 12, and it would be premature to speculate until that occurs.’
State Sen. Steve Roller said he would like consider alternatives to the sales tax, which is subject to broad fluctuations, if he is voted back to the General Assembly next year.
‘We rely too heavily on it,’ Roller said of the sales tax. ‘When the economy takes a downturn, there’s a big loss of revenue.’