Governor Jan and the Brew Crew have ordered all state agencies to present her with a plan to cut each agency's budget by 15 percent.
Brewer is calling the move only an "exercise." She's giving the agencies until October 9 to explain to her the most efficient way to cut some of the fat.
Department of Public Safety officials are saying it will most likely result in DPS layoffs.
East Valley Tribune columnist Bill Richardson posed the following question to DPS officials yesterday: "I understand that DPS may be forced to lay off 400 officers and civilians to meet the next round of budget cuts imposed by Governor Brewer. Is that true?
DPS Deputy Director Pennie Gillette-Stroud issued this public response this afternoon:
"The completed exercise will likely contain some reduction in force; however, we are hopeful that any final agency budget reduction cuts will have minimal reductions of employees."
Nice bureaucratese.
Gillette-Stroud added "I want to make it very clear, at this time, DPS is not intending to layoff
anyone."
Note the "at this time."
She says the results of the "exercise will be made public at a later date."
Here's a "force" we'd all probably like to see "reduced": Take those miserable speed cameras off the freeways and let us drive our cars in peace!
