DSmith says:

Why are you looking at furloughs before you look at making every department lay off retired state employees who have gone back to work? These are the people who should be laid off first and see what the savings is, then if needed look at an early out. Let those who are close to retirement be motivated to retire early without a penalty. Do not backfill those positions unless critical to the agency. Those should be the first priorities before making state employees take a furlough. Many state employees barely make above minimum wage, contrary to what the public perceives. A loss of one days pay may not seem like much but when you see a fellow colleage who is getting retirement and an additional paycheck that hurts. One days salary a couple of times a month could mean the difference of whether that person can make their hou! se payment or utility payments or not. The legislature should preach by example and cut their health benefits and play by the rules they make state employees follow. Maybe they should not get paid for this session or next year. If your so dedicated to doing this because you want to help then volunteer your time like your always trying to get everyone else to do!!! They are not losing any pay from their regular job, if they were they wouldn't have ever run for office. Start putting your money where your mouth is legislature!