Only 100 Layoffs Necessary In Pennsylvania Says Gov. Rendell

Pennsylvania’s governor, Ed Rendell, has announced that approximately 100 layoffs are needed to the state’s payroll. Pennsylvania officials initially projected that they would need to cut hundreds of jobs in order to balance their $28 billion budget for the fiscal year of 2010-11. However, after more retirements occurred than was expected, a hiring freeze was all it took to keep the number of layoffs as low as possible.

“This is difficult,” said Rendell. “[$3.4 billion] is an awful lot of money to cut from the state budget when you consider so much of the state budget is mandated” towards certain areas.

No comment was made as to which jobs specifically would be cut.

Perhaps a saving grace for many Pennsylvania teachers has been Obama’s $26 billion Medicaid/Education bill. Pennsylvania schools will see $380 million of that money going towards paying school employees’ salaries and benefits.