By Bruno Matarazzo Jr. and Alan Burke
Staff Writers
http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_081183507.html

• Shane Symolon / WWLP

GREENFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Governor Patrick says he may need to cut up to 2 thousand jobs if employees don’t agree to furlough days or other cost saving measures…

(The State Police Association) wants to see more cuts made at the management level before furloughs, because everyone is under tough times.
“Taking 3,4,5, even 6 days away from someone, especially someone new, you can cost them a mortgage or a kids school or some of the expenses we all have to pay.” – Jeffrey Gordon, State Police Association of Massachusetts

Link to Full Article (WWLP.com)

Remember, criminals don’t take furlough days.

The state police union rebuffed Gov. Deval Patrick’s attempts for cost cutting before an early-morning meeting today, saying Patrick hasn’t acted on easy savings available by reshuffling top brass.

Patrick plans to discuss furloughs and other cost-cutting measures with all state unions this morning to backfill a $600 million revenue shortfall in the budget.

“Someone dropped the ball here, whether it’s in his office or in the executive office of public safety,” said Rick Brown, president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts. The union handed in a 20-page report in March detailing up to $13 million in potential savings through reducing the number of management positions.

Terrel Harris, spokesman for the Executive Office of Public Safety, said Secretary Kevin Burke has reviewed the report and may even use some suggestions. He wouldn’t say what those savings are.

Jay Gonzalez, secretary of administration and finance, said the governor is listening to all ideas.

“He is hoping to mitigate layoffs and reduce the need by asking employees to sacrifice through contract provisions,” Gonzalez said.

Patrick sent a letter to union heads Oct. 15 asking them to squeeze savings out of their current contracts.

Patrick has ordered managers to take a nine-day furlough and said he’d cut up to 2,000 state employees to make up the $600 million gap. He’s also asked legislators for expanded cutting powers so he can slash local aid.

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid=1206730

I love fall in New England. There is no better time of year then fall. We have haunted houses galore — like the Witch’s Woods at the Nashoba Valley Ski Resort, which I visited this past weekend.

Screeching at the creepy clowns and the blood-streaked ghouls in Westford on Saturday night brought to mind some other types of very scary folk that are haunting us: Massachusetts hacks.

Last week, Gov. Deval Patrick announced that the September tax revenue came in $243 million short, meaning that there will be more cuts to state and local aid. Translation to the taxpayer: Cops, teachers and firefighters are facing layoffs; streetlights will be without their bulbs. What we did not hear from the governor, however, is the idea that some of the friends, neighbors and campaign contributors that he has put on the payroll are going to get pink slips…

Read the rest of this article at: http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/10/05/03/0834-82/index.xml