Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is considering alternative budget options that include cutting 4,700 state positions and $1.2 billion in cuts to various state programs, including some aid to local cities and town, The Associated Press reports.
It’s part of his preparations in case a two-year, $2 billion labor savings deal can’t be reached with the state employee unions.
The alternative budget, obtained by The AP, was submitted to Malloy on Friday by his budget director, Benjamin Barnes.
In a letter to Malloy, Barnes calls the options “unattractive” and admits he offers them “with a sense of reluctance and even regret.”
The Plan B budget comes on the same day the first batch of approximately 4,000 layoff notices were expected to be issued. Malloy announced Thursday that he was delaying the layoffs, giving his labor negotiators and the state employee union leaders a couple of days to continue their closed-door talks. Meetings were being held Friday.
The 4,700-job-cut figure is new. But it’s unclear whether that amount includes currently unfilled positions.
Cutting 4,700 jobs would save the state $455 million in the first year. To make up the $545 million difference needed to reach the $1 billion in savings, Barnes gave Malloy more than $1.2 billion in possible cuts to choose from.
The Plan B budget also comes days after Malloy signed a two-year, $40.1 billion budget into law. That plan, however, assumed that the $2 billion in labor savings, including union concessions, would be reached. If there’s no agreement, Malloy has until the end of the month to submit his Plan B to the General Assembly for action.
