Work Furloughs

Given the continued problems with public finance throughout the state, perhaps it’s time to think seriously about short work furloughs as one way to deal with the current fiscal difficulties. As a 20-year civil servant, I’m at a point where I’m ready to give up a little to help maintain the system.

If all non-critical state, county, city and special district employees took a one-day furlough each month, it should help relieve the problem.

I realize that this would place some financial hardships on some government employees who have large families, but without additional public funding, which seems unlikely at this time, the alternative would be large layoffs in public employment this summer and beyond. These layoffs will throw tens of thousands of public employees out of work, which will further burden the state unemployment compensation system.

In times of substantial fiscal stress in government, work furloughs are a viable and necessary option.

JOHN S. TRICARICO

Santa Barbara