So my state pretty much sucks.

[Autumn2009]

State announces first trooper layoffs in 27 years

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...=2007702160465

LANSING -- Thirty state police troopers will lose their jobs April 1, the first round of layoffs prompted by the state's deepening budget crisis.

The layoffs will drop on-the-road trooper strength below 1,000 first the first time in more than 30 years, said officials at the Michigan State Police Troopers Association.

"This puts a huge, huge hole in the public safety net," said Mike Moorman, president of the troopers' union. "The department is already down in trooper resources to begin with."

State Budget Director Robert Emerson said today the State Police would lay off troopers and civilian employees in a move to stay within the department's budget, but he didn't offer specific numbers. The State Police overspent its $249 general fund budget by $6 million in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, and is struggling again this year to contain spending.

Moorman said State Police Director Col. Peter Munoz notified the union this morning about the 30 layoffs. This is the first round of trooper layoffs since 1980, Moorman said.

In addition, a 50-recruit trooper school scheduled for this year has been canceled.

The state has 1,084 troopers on the payroll, but fewer than 1,025 of them are uniformed patrol officers. The others are plainclothes officers who work on auto theft detail, drug prevention teams and other specialized jobs.

In Metro Detroit, State Police troopers are chiefly engaged in freeway traffic enforcement, but in rural areas of the state they are involved in a wide range of law enforcement services.

This is the first time the state has resorted to layoffs to make ends meet during the current budget crunch. The state work force has been trimmed by more than 9,000 over the past six years, but those reductions came from early retirements and other attrition.

[rob84]

That sucks! sorry to hear it. What are the laid off troopers going to do?

[Ducky]

How about cutting lifetime welfare benefits for the baby factories (or make them work for the state in the horrible jobs to earn their checks) instead of cutting the number of guys who are protecting your asses???

I hate politicians.

[Growler]

That sucks and dangerous. I can the next headline now.
Recent surge of crime unexpected.

[Autumn2009]

I've heard we have the lowest trooper numbers in the state now since pre-1950. The troops are horribly understaffed as it is and yet it just gets worse.

Everyone's gotta love Jenny our Governor.

[Pedro56]

How about cutting lifetime welfare benefits for the baby factories (or make them work for the state in the horrible jobs to earn their checks)....

Because they would loose a majority of their votes. It is the same bs here. We are just lucky we don't get laid off.

[Jackalope]

You guys have 1000 troopers? We have 300.