Here we go again

Again, state government will be less accessible to its constituents for three days a month. Again, state employees will be asked to do the same amount of work in one-fifth less time.

And again, we say that the furloughs are a bad idea.

The reason hasn’t changed: The furloughs continue to be used to solve a problem for which they are not a solution. Furloughs do not save money. Report after report has confirmed that any gains from the pay cuts associated with furloughs are offset by the necessity for overtime and the accumulation of paid time off for employees. Furloughs do not make the government more efficient; instead, they further stress an already burdened workforce. Furloughs do not provide leverage to move the Legislature on the state’s budget—we’re not sure there’s a lever large enough to move the Legislature anywhere in the state.

But furloughs are the only weapon the governor has, and so he’ll use them. What was that about the definition of insanity—to do the same thing over and over and expect different results?