Friday, December 16, 2016
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says he’s eliminating thousands of unfilled positions in state government as the state faces a large budget deficit.
The Wolf administration told cabinet agencies in a memo obtained today by The Associated Press that it is effectively limiting the size of the state workforce to the number of positions now filled.
Wolf’s press secretary, Jeff Sheridan, says the decision will affect thousands of positions. But he says he doesn’t have a precise number or know how much money will be saved.
There are about 73,000 filled salaried positions under the governor’s jurisdiction.
The administration is warning of a $600 million shortfall in the budget year ending June 30.
The Legislature’s nonpartisan Independent Fiscal Office has projected a $1.7 billion deficit in the year starting July 1.