Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
The Raleigh News & Observer has the story:
State agencies have been cutting costs during the economic downturn by delaying the opening of prison units, cutting their own grass and driving Highway Patrol cars longer.
Faced with a $2.2 billion shortfall in this year’s state budget, Gov. Beverly Perdue has ordered agencies to reduce spending by up to 9 percent.
As a result, officials with the Perdue administration said Thursday, state agencies have put a freeze on most hiring, reduced travel to professional conferences or training sessions and delayed the purchase of cars, computers, mowers and tractors.
Belt-tightening measures vary from department to department.
The Department of Correction has postponed opening new units at Orange Correctional Center in Hillsborough and Caldwell Correctional Center in Lenoir designed to house disruptive inmates. The postponement allows the agency to avoid hiring 26 new employees at each prison, according to Keith Acree, the department spokesman.
The agency has also delayed starting a planned substance abuse treatment program for women at a facility in Black Mountain, saving the cost of 35 positions.
The Highway Patrol has deferred the purchase of 100 vehicles, saving about $2.2 million.
The patrol cars “will stretch a bit longer,” said spokesman Ernie Seneca. “Typically vehicles are replaced at 90,000 miles. The plan is to extend to 100,000 miles.”
Several small state historic sites have canceled lawn maintenance contracts with Lawn care companies California and are now cutting their own grass. Those include the Thomas Wolfe House in Asheville, Fort Dobbs in Statesville, Historic Stagville in Durham and Bennett Place in Durham.
