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Fair To Look At Wage Cuts

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 26, 2009

As painful as it may be for state workers to contemplate, lawmakers are right to consider salary cuts this year.

The Legislature's primary responsibility is to pass a balanced budget, yet lawmakers must overcome a deficit that could reach $3 billion in fiscal '09-'10, and that's only because $3 billion in federal stimulus money will make up the rest. No solution that could possibly save money should be off the table.

Millions of people across the country working in the private sector have taken pay cuts, lost their jobs or been furloughed without pay. And with the government hurting every bit as much as private businesses, lawmakers would be foolish not to look at employees' paychecks.

It's true that state workers haven't had a raise in three years and some have taken on added responsibilities as other jobs go unfilled, but pay cuts may spare further job losses.

Predictably, unions and some Democrats are offended by the effort. Indeed, no elected official wants to cut salaries; they are sure to look elsewhere first.
Senate budget chief JD Alexander, R-Lake Wales, has said he's not sure there will be pay cuts but is considering cuts of as much as 5 percent for some. Taxpayers would save more some $304 million if the Legislature cut every state worker's salary by 5 percent, according to a Senate analysis.

But a flat cut is unlikely and unwarranted. Not all employees should be included. If salaries are slashed, they should be trimmed based on a worker's current pay, with those making more money taking the biggest hits.

Perhaps lawmakers will figure out a way to solve the financial crisis without pay reductions. But employees had better prepare themselves.

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