Fair Share, Budget and Everything Else

I know that we State workers have alot to worry about right now as does anyone who is working for a government locality in MD, Montgomery, PG County, Baltimore City, etc.  All government workers are taking the brunt of budget cuts and it appears that that will not end anytime soon.  Maryland faces at $300 million dollar deficit for FY 2010 and a nearly $3 billion deficit in FY 2011.  How are they going to fix this and what is going to happen to the workers?  That is the typical question being asked in State Offices and I am certain it is being asked all over Maryland by workers who are worried about the stability of their jobs.

It is time for government workers to wake up, to speak out and to try to do whatever they can to help themselves because if you depend on someone else to do it, you are not only disappointing yourselves but you will be disappointing that person that sits next to you, your friend at work. 

I'm not sure what we can do but I do know that to do nothing is to allow yourself to become a victim of all of this.  The only way that WE will survive this is to be there for each other and to get involved in the legislative session that begins in January and keep abreast of all legislation that will affect us.  This is something that I never did until last session when I heard about the Fair Share Bill.  Fair Share for what is what I ask, what is being done for us?  We cannot depend on unions to do it, we must be vocal and we must keep updated on that which is going to affect us.

Management needs to stop spending and start cutting the fat in the State system and in all of the localities.  Anyone who works for a government entity knows that there is much waste.  For the State to spend money it does not have right now to purchase land is ridiculous and I, for one, do not appreciate having to take a furlough day to pay for that.  For the City to buy a theatre with money it does not have is ridiculous and firemen and policemen should not have to do a furlough day to pay for it when it is their jobs to protect citizens.

I am open for any suggestions.  We need each other right now.