Jerry Brown's awful month just got worse.
California's nonpartisan legislative analyst said Friday that Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to shift state workers to a four-day week would create some serious problems.
In his review of Brown's revised budget plan, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor also said California's budget deficit is likely worse than the Democratic governor's estimate of $15.7 billion, suggesting it may more than $17 billion.
Brown proposed a $91.4 billion general fund budget Monday that slashes health and welfare programs and courts. His proposal also relies on voters temporarily raising taxes on sales and wealthy earners to help cover this year's budget gap and deficits in future years.
Brown also hopes to save $839 million – about $402 million in the general fund – by moving workers to a four-day, 9.5-hour-a-day work schedule and docking their pay 5 percent. While the plan is still being fleshed out, state offices would likely be closed one day a week, providing some building-operation savings.
Taylor noted the furlough plan raises issues:
- With three-day weekends, employees won't use as much leave, which will increase the state's deferred costs when workers cash out.
- It will hinder interaction with government agencies that operate on regular schedules.
- It may not reduce energy costs. Taylor said Utah found its energy savings were "not significant" after it went to a four-day week in 2008.
