Paterson orders 2,000 job cuts by end of year

ALBANY - State agencies Thursday were ordered to cut 2,000 jobs by year end and Gov. David A. Paterson said there would be some layoffs, starting in mid-November.

Citing the prospect of a midyear budget deficit, Paterson aides authorized agency commissioners to use layoffs, retirements and attrition to trim a workforce totaling 130,590. The number of terminations isn't yet known, said a budget office spokeswoman, though 294 jobs have been eliminated since July through not filling vacancies.

"Layoffs are a tool," said spokeswoman Jessica Bassett. "There also is the hiring freeze that has been in place, and regular retirements and attrition."

The cuts will only impact agencies under Paterson's control, such as the motor vehicles and health departments. Excluded groups include SUNY, the courts, legislature, state insurance fund and public authorities. On Long Island, SUNY and the insurance fund are big employers.

The last time New York issued a large number of pink slips was in the mid-1990s.

Asked Thursday about the need for layoffs, Paterson said, "We came up short on our early retirement incentive. The public employee unions offered us nothing . . . They left me no choice," he told WOR radio.

The Civil Service Employees Association said Paterson had rejected alternative proposals to save $250 million in this year's $136-billion budget. If layoffs happen, the governor can expect lawsuits.

Last year, he promised CSEA and the Public Employees Federation not to issue pink slips this year in return for their support of early retirements and less generous pension benefits for new hires.

"We have a binding agreement that forbids layoffs," said CSEA spokesman Stephen Madarasz.

Unions also thwarted Paterson's bid to furlough workers or delay one week's salary. However, as many as 5,000 workers may have taken early retirement; a final number will be announced Monday.