A complete transcript and audio recording of the Governor's speech can be found here at WAMC, Northeast Public Radio.
Notable excerpts from the Governor's speech:
- a responsible and balanced solution to our budget problem is one that includes state employee concessions
- reduced the number of state agencies by 28 percent since 2011 — shrinking from 81 agencies down to 58.
- reduced the size of executive branch workforce by nine and a half percent.
- now employ 5,000 fewer full-time employees than in 2008
- exluding higher education, the executive branch workforce is at the smallest it has been since Ronald Reagan was president
- in September, my administration asked agencies to begin thinking about what additional cuts would mean. Having further explored these options, many of their recommendations will be included in the budget I present to you next month.
- we must reach an agreement on how to make our pensions and benefits more affordable.
- posted 1/4/17