How did Martin O'Malley celebrate his recent $280 million in budget cuts that saved the state from imminent debt default and a farmer's rebellion? He set to work planning the next $470 million in terrible, bone-scraping cuts due August 26, of course!
Will this be the round o' cuts in which you lose your job, Maryland state employee who's been working on that pension for 12 years? According to state budget secretary T. Eloise Fisher, "cuts will include additional reductions to state agencies, changes in employee compensation and cuts to local governments."
But could the "changes in employee compensation" mean, say, that one's salary decreases from $45,000 a year to zero dollars a year? Because of "the job being eliminated," as they say?
Aware that additional shortfalls are on the horizon, state agencies have been asked to identify "low-priority programs" that could be eliminated, Foster said. She provided no examples. Foster said O'Malley is not contemplating wholesale layoffs but said state workers could lose their jobs as part of "streamlining" efforts.
Well, as long as they lose their jobs as part of "streamlining efforts" instead of "wholesale layoffs," it's basically like they never lose their jobs at all.
Jim Newell writes for Wonkette and IvyGate.
