Kaine tells agency heads to seek further spending cuts
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has instructed heads of state agencies to seek ways to further reduce spending, given financial estimates that show state revenues have dipped below revised budget projections.
Kaine, speaking to reporters at the state Capitol, said April revenues would fall below estimates.
He said current economic trends are likely to leave the state up to $225 million short of revenue needed to balance Virginia's budget through the end of fiscal 2009, which ends June 30.
The governor said there is still an $160 million in unallocated funds for fiscal 2010 that could be applied to the new shortfall, mitigating the new cuts.
"We're telling them that they need to be austere," Kaine said.
Reader Reactions
Costs are just the tip of the iceberg, but a very big tip I admint. For example, why does it cost $25,000 a year for the same amount of storage (1 Terabyte) that I can buy at BestBuy for less than $150. Any why does it cost more than $100,000 a year to create back-ups of that 1 Terabyte. Does the $800 toilet seat sound familiar?
Perhaps more concerning is that our contract with Northrop Grumman will cause Virginia to miss out on the cloud computing initiative that is supported by the current White House administration. Let’s face it, IT changes at a rapid rate, and yet Virginia locked itself into a 10 year contract which will likely prevent us from taking advantage of much of that change. Why did anyone think locking in the cost for IT for ten years was a good idea…would anyone pay the same amount of money for a laptop today that they paid 10 years ago. If you would, please call me and I will happily sell them to you.
VITA is raping the state and costimg each agency a ton of dough. Their regs cause a lot of problem in buying equipment at a reasonable price and user fees are exorbitant. The Small Women And Minority (SWAM) program makes state agencies utilize minority and women owned business when making purchases of goods and services. Their prices are much more than when buying from the cheaper business. Employees receive audit points if they do not buy from minority businesses even though they are more expensive and require a significant search to locate products from minorities. Millions of dollars could be saved by eliminating SWAM and ViTA.
You’re right about VITA/NG. I have one of those State computers that was issued in 2003. My agency has been paying a monthly fee for this dinosaur. Six years/72 months at over $100 per month. That’s an expensive computer. What waste.
GET RID OF VITA!!!
Fact:
Not all state employees received raises even those whose agencies do not fall under DHRM and have their own personnel policies in place including a pay for performance plan. Is that the state employees fault?
Not all state employees are losers. Just like any profession you have your good and your bad. So don’t lump them all into one category.
It is tougher to fire a state employee because of the way the state grievance procedures are set up. Terminated employees can appeal and usually the firings are overturned. Ticks me off when they try to get rid of a bad employee and it gets overturned and then the employee can’t be touched. It’s not our fault the system is set up that way and most state employees wish it wasn’t. Please petition the GA to change that.
Just like with other companies there is waste, as evidenced by the bailouts, it just didn’t make it into the public eye until recently when they asked for money. Most state employees aren’t wasteful, it’s those few who are that are to blame as well as your elected officials.
Yes the health insurance plan is better then some. And it does have more participants. If you want to participate in a mega plan have your employer check into getting a pooled plan where they share the risk with other companies…I’m thinking they may run away from that one. While they didn’t increase the premiums this year they did what a lot of private companies did, they upped the co-pays and deductibles. They did that in the past too.
The retirement is better then some, mainly because it is a DB plan and not a DC or 401k. Again your employer’s option to elect to switch to a DB. As great as you think the retirement plan is, most state employees who are eligible to retire are hanging around because they can’t afford to retire.
A lot of state employees work consistently in excess of 50 hours per week at 40 hours per week pay,.
If you think that State employees have it made with great salary and benefits why haven’t you applied? I mean afterall most state employees are worthless, why don’t you show us how it should be done? You can be our savior.
as it should be
1. Please explain “=2FTE” as I am just a stupid state employee who doesn’t know better. What has that to do with your dislike of state employees.
Useless drivel was not a personal attack - it meant if you can’t back it up with “stats” then it is a useless statement
2.Yes I have VRS which is the only benefit I will ever use. But in order to get the maximum from that I have to work 20 years. It is not the greates retirement plan in the world as there are limitation to it. There are better plans out there. So all these great benefits come down to our retiremnt plan. Sound like we have it made.
3. NG/VITA is the biggest rip off of state funds ever. For you to say that it replaced useless agencies means that someone signed a multimillion dollar conctract just to cut useless agencies. Does that sound like a way to save money. My agency pays 30% of its budget to them for computer services and my department has seen 2 new computers in the entire time they have been in charge. Under my own agency IT department computers were changed at least once ever 3-4 years. They charge us $160.00 each month for every computer we ahve whether they do anything or not. They are a anchor around all stae agencies neck.
4. No I was on my unpaid break using my own computer through a wireless node. Nice try.
Anything else this lowly state worker can help you with.
McRedd
Well - you are not part of the “in crowd” at the schools then b/c all of the deans have discretionary spending funds; different schools within the universities still give their “chosen” employees raises even when the gov says no - sometimes they just re-classify the job to get it thru
I know this how? I worked there also - but when I called the dean on the numbers, well let’s just say, it was time for me to go…
“and just one more thing…again..not a slam…but HIGHER EDUCATION is where the cuts should be coming from…VCU/ODU/UVA - they ALL get raises even when the governor says no - the reason - they have SO many BUCKETS of money (fed, va) to choose from.“
Erm, I work for VCU and as I stated, I have not gotten, nor will I get a raise (at least for the next year or so - from what I’ve been told). I am paid from state (E&G) funds so I won’t get a raise. Period. If you’ve heard of State funded classified staff/faculty getting raises by all means, please let me know who they are - I’d have a bone to pick =)
That is not to say that someone working in a Federally funded lab won’t get one. If the PI writes that into the grant proposal then, they are able to give a modest increase. The down side is yes they could get a raise but, a position totally funded by Federal $$ is restricted meaning that if those funds dry up or that PI does not have the grants to support your salary….your job is gone too.
Heck our E&G funds have been cut DRASTICALLY in the last few years. I just wonder why those funds are never given back to us when the times are no longer lean…cut cut cut—sure. Restore those funds so that you can operate at a realistic level - bwhahaha.
Jer1234
No personal attacks here…like “useless drivel”
(1) our job descriptions at our company for “most” of us = 2 FTE in the gov’t per the grants we are qualifying for based on our job descriptions and duties - deal with it - fact
(2) If you are a state worker - then you have VRS - which is NOT going to go away (b/c VA smart/steady state; plus your vesting process is much better than most; health insurance based on what….30-40,000 employees (not 50)
(3) They did cut the useless agencies out - that is why NG/VITA has taken over - b/c you guys spend, spend, spend…
Oh - the gov’t did that one right?...
(4) You on state time right now?...fact and proven
Posted by ( Jer1234 ) on May 12, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Grateful
“but we already work 2-1 for any state/fed/city worker out there and the stats to prove it.“
Please produce those stats that prove this point. Otherwise your statement is just drivel.
“you folks have some of the BEST benefits going - so don’t cry too much.“
Again prove that point as I would like to know what benefits you are talking about that are any better than any other job.
“And once hired, firing one of you guys is not like getting rid of someone in the private sector.“
Again what might be the difference in firing “one of you guys” if you mean government workers it is just as easy as any other job.
Cut the useless redundant agencies that provide no benefits to the citizens of the Commonwealth except for small special interest groups. Cut the large cumbersome agencies that rip off the taspayers by overcharging other agencies for substandard services. Cut the high number of Supervisors that are only supervising 1 to 5 people in an agency that is top heavy. Talk to the boiler plate empoyees and they can show you how to dut millions in money without cutting any services. No one wants to talk to or listen to the low level employees as they know were all the cost savings can be had.
Increase gasoline taxes and bumpt taxes on fast food and soft drinks hugely high!
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