Rhode Island could be $200 million in debt next year, but Gov. Donald Carcieri '65 announced last week he has plans to balance the budget.
At a dinner Wednesday night, the Republican governor unveiled general plans to reduce state spending that include reducing state jobs, cutting benefits for remaining jobs and eliminating or reducing state social programs, the Providence Journal reported Thursday. The specifics of these cuts will be announced Oct. 15.
According to the Journal, Carcieri announced in June that he planned to eliminate $100 million of the projected deficit by laying off 1,000 state employees. On Wednesday, the governor confirmed those plans and further stated plans to eliminate $50 million from the budget in pension and healthcare benefits for state workers. He hopes to eliminate the last $50 million in entitlement programs, which provide benefits - such as state-subsidized childcare - to low-income state residents.
Many state legislators and labor leaders are waiting for Carcieri to unveil the details of his plans before reacting, according to a Journal article Friday.
