Governor Nixon has eliminated 33-hundred state government jobs since he took office and there might be more jobs to go in the next fiscal year.  “I don’t want anyone to think…that any of those decisions are simple or easy,” he says.  But he believes government can operate more efficiently with fewer people. Job cuts have accelerated because the recession has taken a deep bite out of the state budget.

Nixon says the number of government workers can be further reduced by not replacing those who leave. His budget for the next fiscal year calls for fewer employees. He hopes the number of layoffs can be minimized by voluntary departures.  

Nixon says he appreciates efforts by the legislature to find ways to maintain government services and programs with fewer people.  He says, “I thinkt he Senate has taken very, very seriously  their rebooting process.,”   The Missouri Senate has brainstormed for a second year to come up with ways to save money and operate government more efficiently. 

The proposed budget for fiscal 2011-2012 includes no salary increases for state workers for a third year in a row. But Nixon says it’s incorrect to say state workers have not gotten any raises.  He notes 7,400 state employees got promotions in the last year and the salary increases that have gone with those promotions.  “The best way to move forward in this economy is to look for additional responsibilities, not just look at that simple ‘What’s the COLA,'” he says.

 Governor Nixon talks jobs 3:05 mp3