State cuts higher education budgets
Published: September 8, 2009
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has cut 8 percent of state funds from the University of Virginia, the College of William & Mary, Virginia Tech and the Virginia Military Institute and is proposing a one-day furlough for state employees in an effort to cut $1.35 billion from the state budget.
Cuts are also expected at Piedmont Virginia Community College. Kaine cut the community college system by nearly 7 percent, but how that will translate to PVCC is not yet known.
Nearly 930 state positions will be eliminated, resulting in 593 layoffs under the governor’s cuts. The cuts also reduce state agency spending by more than $403 million.
The furlough day would precede Memorial Day weekend.
“Virginia has consistently and thoughtfully worked to protect our highest priorities from the worst consequences of the worst economic downturn since the 1930s,” Kaine said.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Read in the first paragraph…and it’s not a proposition, it’s reality. State workers are being forced to take a day off without pay to help cut 1.35 billion from the state budget. This will be generally observed on the friday before memorial day. The irony for me is this…I don’t work on fridays anyway…but my paycheck will be one day short on wages for that pay period.
TO state_worker; I am just wondering how and why do you say you give a days pay to the state, and no one else does this. I am not taking sides, just asking.
I’m so happy to be getting a forced day off from my job. I’m wondering how many non state workers would be thrilled to be getting a day off…probably many of you…but would you be willing to hand over a days pay to the state to help balance the budget? someone please tell me how this makes sense. I and many others are being forced to give back a days wages to help balance the budget. it’s always been this way, when the state comes up short, they look to state workers to make up deficit…but all the other “working taxpayers” in the state don’t have to ante up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a team player and don’t mind doing my fair share, but when a group gets singled out, it stinks. oh and btw…if you are thinking that we get payed better and have better benefits…think again. benefits are decreasing, our costs for insurance and other participatory benefits just went up…our pay is frozen while people are being laid off, so we’re expected to produce the same services with less resource…does this sound familiar? of course it does, it’a happening in the private sector as well…and now they want a days pay to boot.
Advertisement