Strickland shows leadership in trying to cut state costs

Just days after it was revealed that Gov. Ted Strickland is seeking major concessions from state employees because of a projected $7 billion deficit in Ohio’s biennium budget, President Barack Obama announced pay freezes for White House employees earning over $100,000 a year.

Strickland’s call for a 5 percent across-the-board pay cut, a shorter work week and unpaid holidays was first reported by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The newspaper said the governor’s request was made to the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, the state’s largest union with some 35,000 members. There are about 60,000 state workers.

But Ohio isn’t the only state trying to deal with an imploding operating budget by targeting the employees’ wages and benefits. According to the Associated Press, California is furloughing workers two days a month and is seeking reduction in the number of paid holidays from 14 to 12; Maryland is considering furloughs and salary reductions; Hawaii is considering furloughs one day a month, layoffs, and forgoing raises; New Hampshire is considering a four-day work week and deferred pay increases; Utah, a four-day work week for state employees; New Jersey is seeking benefit cuts, including eliminating two paid holidays.

In announcing the pay freeze for White House employees, President Obama said: “During this period of economic emergency, families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington.”

Not only Washington, but Ohio and every other state, and every community, urban and suburban.

Gravy train

Public sector employees have been riding a gravy train fueled by money from taxpayers who are tapped out. The employees can either accept pay cuts, shorter work weeks, fewer paid holidays, mandatory furloughs, and paying more for health insurance, as Gov. Strickland is seeking, or risk losing their jobs.

Even with concessions, some state employees will still be laid off because of the size of the impending budget deficit.

Strickland is hoping for a major infusion of money from Washington through President Obama’s economic stimulus initiative, but even with the amount being discussed, about $6 billion, the budget will still be in the red.

The national and global economic crises will take a year or more — perhaps much more — to resolve. In the meantime, federal, state and local governments will have to do what the private sector has been doing for a long time: Slash operating costs.

Indeed, while layoffs and concessions have been the order of the day in the private sector, pay raises are still being discussed in the public sector.

Government officials must realize that any pay raises granted in this economy will be met with anger and disappointment — from taxpayers who have gone without for many years.

For example, the 3 percent retroactive pay increase granted to Youngstown firefighters may be justified, but the timing is problematic. Pay raises for public employees should not be a priority at a time such as this.

The labor unions must understand that a sure way of chasing away businesses is to make unreasonable demands for wages and benefits.

Gov. Strickland has set the standard for what is expected of workers in state government. We expect officeholders at all levels to follow his lead.