Maryland government needs more staff to perform mission, analysts say
The executive branch of Maryland’s state government needs to fill 1,200 vacancies and create another 1,200 new positions to carry out essential functions, legislative analysts have concluded.
The Department of Legislative Services has told the General Assembly’s Spending Affordability Committee that abolition of more than 7,700 positions in state government by governors of both parties since 2002 has left the government seriously understaffed.
The department, which advises lawmakers of both parties, said it reached those conclusions after a two-year review of staffing needs based largely on laws, regulations and studies by the agencies themselves. The findings, which echo claims made repeatedly by state employee unions, potentially conflict with efforts by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan to contain the size of state government.
Warren Deschenaux, the department’s chief analyst, said the staffing levels have been kept down by efforts over the years to limit state spending. The executive branch, excluding higher education, currently employs about 49,500 workers.
Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-state-understaffed-report-20171116-story.html