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Mass. gov. set to make layoffs, budget cuts (Socialism at work) Mass. gov. set to make layoffs, budget cuts Worcester Telegram & Gazette By GLEN JOHNSON AP Political WriterOctober 15, 2008 BOSTON— Key players in the state's criminal justice system stepped forward with a series of budget cuts on Wednesday, just hours before Gov. Deval Patrick was to announce up to $800 million of cuts in other parts of the state budget to offset lagging tax collections. The chief of the state's court system and the attorney general announced reductions in the budgets they control, while three of the state's 11 district attorneys traveled to the Statehouse to offer voluntary cuts they hoped would stave off even deeper ones for prosecutors. They said the economic downturn sparking the cuts would likely trigger an increase in crime. The governor planned a news conference timed to the start of the 5 p.m. local newscasts to reveal the size of the state's projected revenue shortfall and the cuts to offset it. Various estimates have pegged the shortfall between $800 million and $1.5 billion. Either is a sizable chunk in a $28.1 billion state budget. Some 90 minutes beforehand, the governor was to huddle with senior government leaders at the Statehouse to outline his decisions. "His cuts are deep, and his cuts are going to be painful," House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, who met with Gov. Deval Patrick late Tuesday, said Wednesday. Margaret Marshall, who oversees the court system as chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, said in a statement that her preliminary plan includes a hiring freeze effective this week, cancellation of departmental conferences, restriction of in-state travel and the elimination of out-of-state travel. No furloughs or layoffs are planned. Marshall said further cuts would be challenging. "Unlike state agencies which have an array of programs, the court system has a single core mission - the delivery of justice. We are committed to reducing our expenses to the most spare and essential functions necessary to maintain our mission and constitutional obligations," the chief justice wrote. Article Link http://www.telegram.com/article/20081015/APN/810151223 COMMENTS: Obammy's America ... take a long look, folks. Slap some of the droolers in the back to wake them up. That said, I'm sure these government monkeys about to be laid off will find a way to blame Bush. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
