Legislative budget panel proposes cuts, layoffs
The Legislature's budget panel proposes eliminating 1,999 unfilled state government positions and removing most agencies from civil service protection to allow agency directors to eliminate staff and positions.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee — House Speaker Philip Gunn, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and key House and Senate leaders — on Thursday adopted a frugal spending proposal for the coming budget year. The plan includes expected savings of $13 million from removing most state agencies from State Personnel Board protection, which would allow agency directors to more easily lay off people and eliminate positions. It also would "delete" unfilled positions and funding for them.
"A number of agencies have said they could be more efficient and provide better services at less cost if they had more flexibility — including Dr. (Mary) Currier at the Department of Health," said Gunn, who is chair of the JLBC this year. "... That's what agencies are telling us: better services at lower cost. Don't forget the better services part."
The proposed budget also banks on savings from a 20 percent, or $12 million, cutting out-of-state travel for state employees and placing a moratorium on state government buying new cars.
Read more: http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2016/12/08/lbo-proposed-budget/95136548/