State Budget Cuts Force Indiana Layoffs
INDIANAPOLIS – Dozens of state employees in Indiana have been laid off this week as agencies begin to implement a new, leaner state budget signed by Governor Mike Braun.
The staff reductions, the first since the new spending plan was enacted, have impacted agencies in the education and commerce sectors, raising concerns about the future of key public services. The governor’s office confirmed the layoffs on Tuesday, attributing the cuts directly to reduced operations funding for most agencies under the new state budget.
The impact is being felt across several departments. Among the hardest hit are agencies dedicated to education and historical preservation which includes employees at the Indiana State Library, the Indiana School for the Deaf and The Department of Education.
In addition to these layoffs, officials stated that another 43 positions across the education vertical will remain unfilled, creating a combined estimated savings of $6.9 million in salary and benefits.
The most dramatic cuts have occurred at the Indiana Historical Bureau. According to affected employees, five of the bureau’s six staff members were let go Tuesday afternoon. This leaves just one person to manage the entire office, which is responsible for the state’s popular Historical Marker Program, overseeing 750 markers across Indiana, as well as numerous other public history initiatives.
The Indiana State Museum also confirmed letting go of several employees last week as part of the budget-related reductions. The cuts extend into higher education, as Ivy Tech Community College recently announced it will lay off 202 employees statewide. The college cited significant cuts in state funding and a freeze on tuition rates as the reasons for its staff reduction.
