Iowa Layoff plan

[Iowa #1603]

For those of you that might not read the General LE threads

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132335

[Kornblaster]

I made the first round of cuts. Unfortunately the bumping procedure will catch me quick.

[Iowa #1603]

I made the first round of cuts. Unfortunately the bumping procedure will catch me quick.

Who knows--------------------you might luck out.

What was your start date at ASP?

They have told everyone that started after 7/24/05 that they could be gone!
(That is 46 officers)

and several people out front........one with 35 yrs has been told her job is gone (she can bump back to one of her old jobs)

[lewy15]

The lady with 35 years thinking about retiring? I know I would. Anybody within the patrol gonna retire to save some of the younger jobs?

[boomer555]

Looks like the budget trumps officer safety. Very sad.

[criminalarrest]

I may have to change my username....as I am up to lose my job before the bump even. Feels like betrayal by my own department.

[Iowa #1603]

The lady with 35 years thinking about retiring? I know I would. Anybody within the patrol gonna retire to save some of the younger jobs?

Yea both her and her husband (a CO) are old enough and have enough IPERS credits to retire.

I may have to change my username....as I am up to lose my job before the bump even. Feels like betrayal by my own department.

Keep your username------------if you are able to find a temp job, you will be back .

Don't feel betrayed by the DPS. It's not Gene Meyer or Pay Hoye's fault any more than it is John Baldwins.

The DPS and the DOC hired in good faith thinking revenue was constant. We both have been holding off hiring the last year trying to save money......and thus don't have those "empty jobs" that we have to lay off.

This is a nationwide problem that is really just now hitting the midwest. The other areas of the country have been experiencing this downturn in tax revenue for close to a year.

REMEMBER last year (as in fiscal 2010) we were held to a status quo budget from FY2009 because revenue was down. That is one reason why there was not a DPS academy last year!!!!!!!!! In fact both the DPS and the DOC were not cut the 1.5% that every other state agency had to cut about 12 months ago........................................
And remember that Chester stated in his speach the other day that he doesn't like what DOC and DPS decided to cut, and he will do what he can to mitigate those cuts to public safety.

You might get lucky..............when $$$$$$ is appropriated.
And it WILL be appropriated...............give it some time.

Looks like the budget trumps officer safety. Very sad.

I now that the administrators have been in constant meetings ever since the announcement of the cuts.................our union leadership has been involved in trying to brainstorm our response. My warden is going to have an ulcer the size of Texas when this is finally implemented.

The bottom line, however , is that in Iowa you can't spend more than you take in. Until the people of the state realize that "doing more with less" when you are in the public safety profession is very very dangerous not only to us doing the job but to the general public.....................we are going to have to put up with less staff.

This will take a tax increase to keep from being a safety issue. I think the legislature WILL appropriate money to DPS and DOC when they come into session....................but that money will have to come from somewhere.


We are planning as there will be no bailout. That is going to mean that we do things differently than we have for the last 30 yrs or so. Programs for the inmates will be cut, time out of their cells will be cut, they will have more idle time--------------------all of that is not good.

If forced...............we will make it work in a short term situation. Long term ----------well lets just say, Attica.

[criminalarrest]

Thanks for the encouragement! It was definitely needed.

[DOC Lifer]

If people would realize that calling in sick to watch a football game is costing us jobs then maybe we could turn things around a little bit. We have such a problem with SL/ES/FMLA. Abuse.

[Kornblaster]

http://www.kcci.com/news/21452618/detail.html

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Gov. Chet Culver announced changes Wednesday to plans for a 10 percent across-the board budget cut, slashing $565 million in spending.

Culver outlined a plan for 3,258 non-union state employees to take a 7-day unpaid furlough in an effort to save cuts from the Department of Corrections and the Department of Public Safety. The furloughs must be taken by June 30.

Culver said negotiations with three state employee unions will begin soon in an effort to reduce more layoffs.

Culver will approve 28 department reduction plans after allowances have been made in light of the 7-day furloughs.

Culver outlined six department budget cut plans in areas that affect children, vulnerable adults, and public safety. Those plans will not be approved pending changes from the 7-day furloughs.

He said the furlough plan will realize an additional $16 million dollars that can be applied to departments Culver believes are essential.

"Everyone is going to have to sacrifice," said Culver.

Preliminary plans from departments and agencies earlier this month put nearly 800 jobs on the line. With the elimination of vacant jobs, Iowa faces a total loss of over 1,300 positions.

Culver's order came after a panel of budget forecasters cut nearly $415 million from its projection of how much the state will collect in taxes in the current fiscal year. That's a 7.1 percent reduction from its projection in March, a figure on which the state's budget was predicted.

Culver ordered deeper cuts to guard against more bad economic news and to give the budget the ending balance it needs for cash-flow purposes.

Union Response

Statement by Danny Homan, President of AFSCME Iowa Council 61 on Request by Governor Culver to Reopen State Worker Contract:

"Late yesterday afternoon, AFSCME Iowa Council 61, which represents over 21,000 Iowans who are state government employees, received a request by the Governor of Iowa to reopen contract negotiations with the state of Iowa for the purpose of conducting substantive negotiations that may favorably affect the implementation of budget reductions."

"AFSCME Iowa Council 61, through its bargaining chairs, has agreed to meet with the Governor to begin holding discussions for the sole purpose of reducing layoffs. Any decisions that are made regarding the contract must first be agreed to by the AFSCME State Bargaining Chairs, then will be reviewed by the entire Bargaining Committee, and then any changes will have to be voted on by state worker AFSCME membership and approved by them to take effect."

"We are unsure of where these talks will lead, other than to say AFSCME will do its part to consider all options that are put on the table. According to Iowa law, these discussions will be done in private. AFSCME Iowa Council 61 will have no public comment on any of the discussions being held between the AFSCME and the State of Iowa until that process is concluded."

Republican Resonse

House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) issued the following statement in response to the governor’s budget plans:

“If the governor had not signed the largest budget in the history of the state, we would not be in this fiscal mess."

“Adding to our problems, I am concerned about the lack of leadership from the governor’s office on the $250 million tax increase that he has pushed on the backs of Iowa property taxpayers. Now is certainly not the time to be raising taxes."

“A year ago House Republicans undertook the job of diving in to the state’s budgets to try to find efficiencies and savings. We will continue our efforts of a line-by-line review of state spending, offering positive solutions to bring the budget back in check.”

Stick with KCCI.com and NewsChannel8 for updates on this developing story.

[Iowa #1603]

Hey! That new plan gives me a 7 day vacation.!!!!!!!!!! Unpaid of course.

[Kornblaster]

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/assets/pdf/D21454641028.PDF

For what its worth theres where your furloughs are going. Im not a politician but not sure why the money was spent on some of these programs.

23k to the governors fitness console
62k to non public school text books
100k to Inflatable Amusement Device Inspections

To name a few but what do I know im just a Trooper

[Iowa #1603]

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/as...1454641028.PDF

For what its worth theres where your furloughs are going. Im not a politician but not sure why the money was spent on some of these programs.

23k to the governors fitness console
62k to non public school text books
100k to Inflatable Amusement Device Inspections

To name a few but what do I know im just a Trooper

I am sure that is the Governor's Fitness Council

Inflatable Amusement Device Inspections ? ? ? ? ? ?. I don't think I want to know!

Yea-------------and a Capitol Trooper at that!
They don't even trust you to patrol the highway.

[covman454]

What ****es me off more is that Polk County wants to spend 40 million to renovate Vets Auditorium in Des Moines rather than keep troopers on the roads. Heaven forbid they use the Wells Fargo Arena for events.

And why is the state picking up the tab for non-emergent emergency room visits? God, I could go on all day about this.

Covman

[Kornblaster]

I am sure that is the Governor's Fitness Council

Inflatable Amusement Device Inspections ? ? ? ? ? ?. I don't think I want to know!

Yea-------------and a Capitol Trooper at that!
They don't even trust you to patrol the highway.

You are correct it is council. Spell check didn't catch that one.
by the way I'm going to borrow your disclaimer for my previous post.

All opinions are mine----only mine---and do not carry the weight of my department.

I love my job its way better than watching the LUB cams in the tower

Covman - I believe the money for vets is county funds. Unfortunately Polk county doesn't care about State Troopers.