Catherwood LibraryILR School

Faced with a $68 million budget deficit in 2010, Rhode Island governor Donald Carcieri has found himself hard-pressed to balance the budget, as is required of all states. In an effort to conserve funds, Governor Carcieri has proposed a series of 12 non-consecutive, unpaid furlough days over the next nine months. The furlough days would involve a complete shutdown of the Rhode Island state offices, with only schools and a minimum police force coming in. The Governor's office estimates that $1.4 million would be saved on each of the furlough days. Rhode Island's unions are not so happy however, and have filed a court order looking to temporarily postpone the furloughs, the first of which is scheduled for Friday. Hearings on the postponement will be held today. Council 94 President Michael Downey says that union members recognize there is trouble, but are hoping to work out a deal involving something like compensation with vacation days or delayed pay.