Mississippi Forestry Commission cuts 25 jobs

[Recursion]

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Budget cuts are to blame for 25 people losing their jobs with the Mississippi Forestry Commission.

Among those laid off are law enforcement positions, including the longtime chief investigator from South Mississippi. The more than two dozen lost jobs statewide comes in the wake of the commission's budget being cut by $3.2 million.

Assistant State Forester Russell Bozeman says it has been rough couple of days. According to Bozeman, the job cuts were directly related to the budget reduction of 16 percent in the fiscal year 2017 budget.

That 16 percent cut, he says, is substantial. Two thirds of that reduction was made up through operational efficiencies, but he says, one third required personnel cuts.