GILROY
– If a compromise is not reached between the state and the
California Highway Patrol’s union, it could result in pink slips
for several Gilroy area CHP officers.
GILROY – If a compromise is not reached between the state and the California Highway Patrol’s union, it could result in pink slips for several Gilroy area CHP officers.
Talks are currently underway between the state and the CHP union with the goal to help shore up the state’s massive $38.2 billion budget shortfall. The state has warned the CHP’s union that it must forgo its scheduled pay raise as a budget balancing tactic, or else layoffs will ensue.
In preparation for the worst-case scenario, CHP administrators have estimated that a combined 849 uniformed and nonuniformed CHP positions will be eliminated to help appease the massive budget deficit.
“If it needs to be done, it will be done by seniority,” said Tom Marshall, spokesperson for the CHP headquarters in Sacramento. “Of course that hurts offices in the Bay Area, like Gilroy I’m sure, because that’s where a lot of rookies go.”
Marshall said 469 of the 6,500 current uniformed CHP officers, and more than 380 of 3,500 nonuniformed CHP officers throughout the state would be laid off if a compromise cannot be reached by the budget deadline.
Gilroy’s CHP station currently houses 47 uniformed officers and six nonuniform officers, but Marshall said his office has not yet determined specific areas to be cut. However, due to the CHP’s newly added homeland security duties, offices in relatively small populated areas like Gilroy are more likely to lose personnel than offices closer to major population bases and possible terrorist targets like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
There are 100 CHP stations throughout the state. More than 300 nonuniform jobs have been frozen since Jan. 1, Marshall said.
The constitutional deadline for next fiscal year’s state budget was Monday, although state lawmakers are believed to be a ways from passing a two-thirds approved budget packed with tax and fee hikes along with numerous cuts to government programs.
Last year’s fiscal budget was not approved until September, nearly three months past deadline.
“The idea of layoffs is still preliminary right now,” Marshall said. “But you always want to have a plan to be prepared.”
