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Spot on from Matthew Yglesias: 'Forget Sequestration'
The scary thing for all of us is that everybody is looking past sequestration. That will hurt us for a while. But, again we are being gamed. Sequestration 'hits' in early March, we have to have 30 days notification, so we will get hit in early April.
The Continuing Resolution ends late March. The struggle for an actual budgeted spending process will begin earlier. I think we will actually get some sort of number, and thus some real authorization for spending. At that point (whether late March or sometime in April) our agencies will have a number to spend to that is legit and is real. Then, the dumb bunny answer of sequestration (the only spending restraint our goobers could think of) will be obsolete. Thus, sequestration will be resolved either before it starts or soon thereafter if our elected goobers have any management skillset whatsoever...
Hopefully, the result will be at least the cut of the sequester; but provide the agencies the flexibility to manage the cut. Hopefully, the agencies will not simply 'cut' by not hiring positions that have never been filled. Hopefully, everyone will treat this in an adult manner. We have customers and there is a cost of doing business.
Good info, except the top of those pdfs make my roll my eyes and question the intentThis out of the White House last night- A state-by-state evaluation of the impact of sequestration on jobs and the economy:
Colleagues,
I know that all of you have been following with interest and concern the news about the across-the-board Federal spending cuts (also known as “sequestration”) set to occur this Friday, March 1.
If a sequestration order is issued, the U.S. Department of Transportation will be cut by about $1 billion for its core programs, and
another $600 million in funding provided for Hurricane Sandy relief. Not only will this affect DOT employees, contractors, and dozens of our programs, it will seriously impact transportation services that are critical to the traveling public.
Safety will always be our top priority, but if sequestration occurs, some of our modes will need to make cuts to restrict staffing and prioritize safety activities. Most acutely, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cannot avoid the reductions that will create transportation delays for the traveling public.
Some of our transportation programs, such as our airport grant program, trust-funded highway programs, motor carrier safety programs, and vehicle safety programs, are exempt from sequestration and will not be affected. Additionally, some of our modes will not have their administrative budgets impacted by sequestration; others will be able to sustain sequestration funding reductions by instituting hiring freezes, cutting contracts, and taking other administrative reductions. But even after implementing such measures, we expect that furloughs will be necessary in the FAA and may be required in the Federal Transit Administration and the Surface Transportation Board.
I want to assure you that we are doing all we can to minimize the disruption sequestration would have on our transportation programs while still protecting our core operations and mission. We are using all the tools at our disposal including closely examining contracts, grants, and other forms of expenditures across the Department. We are reducing operational and administrative areas wherever possible, including cuts to travel, training, facilities, and supplies. These actions help, but in some cases, cannot close the gap due to the rigid nature of the cuts imposed by Congress.
Again, at FAA, where furloughs are unavoidable, based on the latest information, sequestration will require approximately $600 million in cuts. This means that we expect that a vast majority of FAA’s nearly 47,000 employees will be furloughed for approximately 1 day per pay period, beginning in April and continuing until the end of the fiscal year in September. The furlough would not exceed 2 days per pay period.
The furlough of a large number of air traffic controllers and technicians also will require a reduction in the amount of air traffic, so planes can be safely managed by the remaining staff. This means a less efficient and less convenient air travel service for the American traveling public, as well as negative effects on our economy.
Right now, our focus is identifying ways to mitigate the funding shortfall for the remainder of this fiscal year. But these consequences will stretch far beyond the next few months. Should sequestration occur, we also will need to make difficult choices about which services to continue, which services to drastically reduce, and which services to completely eliminate over the coming years.
We realize that this is a difficult time for everyone. Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to limit the negative impact on DOT employees. Should furloughs be required, all affected employees would be provided with at least 30 days’ notice, or notice as required by collective bargaining agreements. We will also continue to engage in discussions with employee unions as appropriate, to ensure that any furloughs are applied in a fair and appropriate manner.
If you have questions, I encourage you to go to the Office of Personnel Management website which has helpful information and answers to frequently asked questions under the “administrative furlough” section.
Your modal administrator or OST director also will be following up with more information about how sequestration may affect the day-to-day operations of your mode or office.
Thank you for your patience as we work through these challenging issues, and for your continued service to the Department and the Nation.
-Ray LaHood
Another plea to the public, what is $600 million to $61 Billion of the aid package. Museum may not get the roof it needs.From Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood this morning:
That's correct, because as we all know, the Democrats have no responsibility for any of this...
RealMoneyIssues: Just for you, then:
I don't draw them. I just post them.