[quote=CA renter]Other govt agencies in SD County have been told to cut a certain percentage from every department.

This is not over. Not by a long shot. Just wait until govt employees take a pay cut across the board (which I think is inevitable). They’ve been taking cuts here and there, but I believe they are going to have a more sweeping cut.

Those who think govt workers are parasites are going to get the shock of their lives. These workers are the ones who can hold up the economy when the private sector is weak. They place a floor under the economy during downturns. Take them out of the picture/weaken unions, and there is no more floor.[/quote]

I don’t think govt workers are parasites imho..However, these cuts were unavoidable…

I recall that back a few years ago on this forum, about the time when the private sector was really crapping out, that there were several folks expressing how lucky they felt to be in the public sector (education/government agencies etc) when they don’t have to deal with all the fallout of a poor economy. However, I recall a lot of us said don’t be so sure about that, because we’re all integrated. Well, looks like that’s the case. This fallout from the public sector was inevitable. Since it’s always run on a budget, and since our government’s budgets usually negative even in good times, cuts are bound to be made…If there is any lesson to be learned it’s that it doesn’t matter if you work in the public or private sector..Unless you’re a CEO/Leader/Government official, you are the one going to get hit. Is it really different that our elected officials/staff get raises/increases in pensions from a CEO and exec team aty losing companies getting golden parachutes? Nope….

I would, however argue, that public sector/government workers are a lagging indicator. Public sectors are probably the last to get get undone and the last to recover are elected officials and recover.