Do you need the state this Friday? Well, too bad. A lot of state agencies are taking their furlough day (i.e., a day off without pay) tomorrow, meaning that they will be closed.
The DMV’s closure is the one that’s likely to cause the most headaches for residents. Other agencies seem to be doing their best to keep some some basic services available while furloughing administrative and other staff. For instance:
State beaches, parks and museums will also remain open, even though the Department of Environmental Protection’s offices will be closed.
In fact, while many administrative offices will be shuttered for the day, they will keep a skeletal staff on duty to answer phones and handle emergencies, said Chris Cooper, spokesman for Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
The Attorney General’s office will be closed, however, and Richard Blumenthal is not happy about it:
“We’re required to take a furlough,” he said in a phone interview. “We have work to do and I’m not delighted about the entire office being closed that day, but I plan to maintain a pretty normal schedule except for various Memorial Day events in the morning.”
I guess he’s not going on furlough?
This is supposed to save the state something like $10 million. I hope it helps. Other furlough days are planned for later in the year.
Sources
Altimari, Daniela. “State Offices To Be Closed Friday As Workers Take First Furlough Day.” Hartford Courant 21 May, 2009.
Dixon, Ken. “Furloughs cause a lack of state services Friday.” Connecticut Post 21 May, 2009.
When does Jim “Not a Dime” Calhoun take his?
I think Calhoun has given back enough, with his annual food drives, his donations to the UConn Health Center, and other charitable work.
Calhoun will be fired in a second if he doesn’t perform. I’ll tell you what… if Calhoun takes a furlough day, can we fire any State employee if they fail to perform? The budgeting process would get a lot simpler if that was the case…
Once these furloughs happen and we see that the state actually doesn’t explode into a trillion little pieces without government bureaucrats at their desks, maybe it will give clarity on what can be cut… permanently.