Assembly staff will be furloughed for 16 days over the next two years as the state deals with a $6.6 billion shortfall, according to cutbacks agreed to by Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald and Speaker Mike Sheridan. In addition, Sheridan says members will be asked to return eight days of pay in each of the next two fiscal years.
"It's all voluntary," says Sheridan. "Representative Fitzgerald and I are partnering on this . . to try and make sure that all of our colleagues go along with this furlough."
A members of Sheridan's staff says the Assembly staff furloughs will begin after the start of the new fiscal year on July 1st, and that the "vast majority" of Democratic members have agreed to return eight days of pay.