Governor Wants to Reduce State Employee Workforce By 500

Gov. Dannel Malloy said he has a plan to further reduce Connecticut's state employee workforce by an additional 500 people.

The Democrat said on Wednesday that those positions will be eliminated through attrition by June 30. Critical positions, such as transportation engineers, will still be funded.

Malloy is also unveiling some proposed business-related tax changes to make Connecticut more competitive.

Malloy made the announcements during a presentation to leaders of state agencies about the state's budgetary situation. It comes days after Malloy met with Democratic and Republican lawmakers about how to address a nagging budget shortfall.

“Together, as Democrats and Republicans, we can use this moment to not only address our short-term situation, but also to have an important conversation about the sustainability of our budget over the long-term,” Malloy said during the cabinet meeting, according to a statement. “By setting clear priorities and making smart investments, Connecticut can create a sustainable budget and a sustainable economy.”

Ben Barnes, Malloy's budget director, said the state workforce is down about 1,000 positions since Jan. 1, 2011. Excluding higher education employees, there are more than 28,500 full-time workers in the state's executive branch.

See the presentation here. 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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