State Hiring Freezes Melt For Some Jobs

Cash-Strapped States With Hiring Freezes Make Thousands Of Exceptions For Questionable Jobs

(AP)  Financially strapped states that have announced a freeze on all but essential hiring have made thousands of exceptions for zookeepers, dog wardens, golf-course groundskeepers, boxing inspectors, state fair workers and the like, an Associated Press review of hiring records has found.

"What's the point of the order if you're not going to follow it?" grumbled Ohio state Rep. John Adams, a Republican and owner of a furniture store. "In this economy, honor your hiring freeze. I don't know any businesses that are hiring right now."

In ordering the hiring freezes, several governors said that the dire economy required tough choices, and they promised that exceptions would be made only to fill the most crucial jobs, such as police officers and prison guards.

State officials say that while some of the thousands of non-emergency hires they have made since then - such as dog wardens or zookeepers - might seem questionable, the employees are necessary to keep basic functions of government running, are required by law, or are necessary to bring in the revenue that states so desperately need.

For example, in Ohio, which just hired two greenskeepers, the state's six golf courses bring in nearly $2 million a year in greens fees, said Ohio Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Beth Ruth.

"These are people who are critical to maintaining that revenue stream," she said.

An April report by the National Conference of State Legislatures found at least 43 states are projecting deficits totaling more than $121 billion next year. The nonprofit Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington said at least 27 states have imposed hiring freezes to deal with budget problems.

"In the current uncertain economic climate, we must be especially prudent stewards of Pennsylvania's resources," Gov. Ed Rendell said in ordering a hiring freeze last September.

Since then, Pennsylvania has brought in more than 1,000 new employees, including a fiscal director making $128,000, a press secretary earning $84,000 and seven clerk typists at salaries from $24,000 to $28,000.

The AP found the exceptions in records requested from seven of the biggest states with hiring freezes, including New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Even in tough times, states generally continue to hire prison guards, nurses and other critical employees. But Connecticut also hired part-time boxing inspectors, and New York hired temporary state fair workers.

Alaska allowed 384 exceptions to its four-month freeze that ended in May, including the hiring of eight state geologists and nine state fisheries biologists.

Ohio's hires during the freeze included - in addition to the two golf-course groundskeepers - 11 environmental scientists and 39 tax collectors.

"We have approved some positions that fall into the category of kind of keeping the lights on and the doors open," said David Ellis, Ohio's deputy state budget director.

Ohio's 777 new hires also included 17 administrators earning six-figure salaries, according to AP's records review. The highest paid, at $160,014 a year, is the chief operating officer for Ohio's insurance fund for injured workers, a new post required by state law.

Ohio also allowed its natural resources agency to hire eight officers to patrol state lakes and rivers. Among them is Dawn Potter, who is not taking her new $33,800-a-year post for granted.

"I know how lucky I am," said Potter, 30, based at a 1,900-acre state reservoir outside of Columbus. "Everyone everywhere is getting cut."

Other states made similar judgment calls, for such positions as a veterinarian and two dog wardens hired in Pennsylvania. A new law cracking down on shoddy dog kennels known a "puppy mills" required the additional dog wardens, said Rendell spokesman Chuck Ardo.

Even with the exceptions, many states are still saving money and reducing their workforces. Workers are retiring or resigning, and some of those jobs are going unfilled.

Ohio, which has 60,000 state workers, has hired about 2,000 employees since the restrictions were ordered in January 2008. But overall state employment has dropped by about 4,200.

Minnesota hired more than 7,400 workers since Gov. Tim Pawlenty clamped down on hiring in February 2008, including 62 workers at the Minnesota Zoo. But almost as many employees left state government during that time.

[bandit5919]

In Minnesota, Gov Pawlenty's "hiring restraint" is a joke. A public radio reporter did some faulty analysis and concluded that employment actually went up by 12 employees during the one year since the announcement of the restraint. In fact, if you look at full-time unlimited employment in the Governor's cabinet agencies, the increase was 245 employees, or 1.0% while his agency heads were monitoring every new hire. A previous comment blamed Democrats for this kind of thing. Pawlenty is dreaming of moving to the national political arena. Dreaming is the operative word.

[whitemale08]

The reason why the states have 'budget crisis' is because there's a decline in tax revenue.

The reason why there's a decline in tax revenue is because un-employment keeps going up-and-up.

The reason why un-employment keeps going up-and-up is because Barrack Obama is taking our precious tax money and handing it over to Goldman Sucks and JP Morgan in BIG FAILED BANK bailouts.

Had Obama took that money to invest in real job creations like building nuclear power plants, re-patrioting manufacturing textiles, silverwear, televisions, auto-mobiles, building mag-lev transportation,

we would be on the way to rebuilding the American economy and letting the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers go into RECEIVERSHIP and BANKRUPTCY which is where they belong.

Obama is bailing out the parasites instead of 'protecting the general welfare of the peoples'.

And do you think the BIG FAILED BANKS are going to be gratefull for the bailouts?

HELL NO!

CEO Pandit of Citigroup already said: "...we can no longer rely on the American consumer for growth instead we must look for growth elsewhere namely in Asia."

Translation: "Thanks for the bailout money we're kicking you to the curb and go hand out credit to other countries and blow-out their economies too and then extort their governments into more bailouts".

BANKERS ARE THE ENEMIES FOLKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[burneb]

I would reserve judgement on State hiring without specific info on the justifications. Some may be questionable, but other positions bring in way more revenue or save much more money than they cost. Most States have too many "consultants" at high hourly rates from private firms, who could be replaced with State employees at lesser cost.

When private firms lay off workers, it is usually because of declines in business volume. They no longer need so many to make their products and serve their customers. When government agencies lay off, it is rarely because of any drop in workload. The work doesn't go away, just the staff to handle it.

If these States are anything like Wisconsin, they have already gone through round after round of cuts during 2004-2008, even before the current Recession started.

Over the last 30 years, our State has gone through at least 4 periods where people voted for "less government", but complained bitterly when that's what they got. Of course, they meant less government services for others, not for themselves.

[stn_sage]

First, patronage is NOT unique to the Democrat party! Republicans are well-versed in it's application and do it when they can---as much, if not more than the Democrats!

Second, it would appear that the biggest offenders are also the 'big' states---Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. They have added to the rolls jobs which can hardly be considered critical! WHY do they need so many additional administrators? I would guess---and speculate---that it is a sign of just how disorganized government is in those states!

Finally, no one should fault the hiring of a couple workers to maintain multi-million dollar cash streams---this is common sense! But, the wholesale hiring of unneeded bureaucrats is both unnecessary and a budget buster! The practice of restraint needs to be applied!

[tautomer]

This is the way it goes in Democrat administrations, it's all patronage for the party loyals. If you want to see a pure example of Democrat politics in action look at Chicago. It's been pretty much all Democrat for decades. No surprise here. That's just the way it is!!!

[hungry1968-15]

No mention of NY, where the fiscal crisis left us $121 BILLION short, but the politicians were able to hire "liaisons", so that people could talk to the "liaisons" who would talk to the politicians, enabling the politicians to avoid talking to their constituency altogether?

But former Boxer "Baby Joe" Mesi needed a job, and wasn't qualified for any other $75,000 / job, so I guess they felt like they had to do it this way.

And we didn't even make the story on this page?