The latest round of job eliminations will come from the State’s mental health care programs, universities and other higher education facilities and social services.

In addition to the cuts, the governor announced his intent to convene a special legislative session to discuss a $15 million a year tax break for Ford.  The incentive package would be footed by cuts to retirement benefits to state employees.

Not a good week to be a government worker in Show-Me state.

Companies that employ 50 or fewer will get $250 per certified “Work Ready” individual hired and up to $1,250 total, to assist with hiring and training expenses. The money for “Hire Work Ready” comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In order to be eligible for the program small businesses must participate in a “Work Ready” information session and be in good financial standing with the state.

State officials also determined that November’s employment was revised higher, resulting in a loss of 8,300 jobs. Manufacturing, construction and financial services reported the largest over-the-month private sector job losses.

There were gains in trade, transportation and utilities, professional and business services and the information industry.

• A business and occupation tax credit for large capital projects equal to five percent of the project cost, which will be capped at $100 million, and be distributed on a fist-come-first-served basis. It is expected to creat 20,000 construction jobs and 5,000 ongoing jobs over the next three years.
• Reducing the threshold a company must meet in order to qualify for the Rural County New Employee tax credit from a 15 percent to a 10 percent increase in the number of people they employ.
• A $2,000 new employee tax credit for small businesses that don’t qualify for other incentives.

The governor estimates these actions will encourage $2 billion in private investment in Washington state over the next two years.

Pennsylvania has a $250 million hole in its budget according to the Governor, who is counting on increased tax revenue from the casinos to make up the difference.

This year’s saving has already been realized, but the jobs will not be coming back. The two biggest departments, Health and Human Services and Corrections, will cut the bulk of the jobs. Some of those cuts will be easy to determine, with positions that have been open for over a year, but others are federally mandated and cutting them could mean monetary sanctions or the loss of federal funding.

Patrick wants the unions to agree to nine unpaid furlough days for its workers, which would save the state $35 million. This concession would save the second set of 1000 jobs, at least for now.

Further spending cuts are still needed, but Governor Patrick insists that no cuts will be made to education or to state aid provided to local communities.