Tenn. gov. to offer buyouts to more than 2,000 state workers

AP reports:

Tennessee plans to cut 2,011 state jobs, mostly through voluntary buyouts, to shore up the state budget, the governor said Wednesday.

The job cuts amount to 5 percent of the state work force and would save about $64 million each year, Gov. Phil Bredesen said.

"We're going to do this in a way that is respectful of them and try to minimize the impact on any employee," he said, though he warned involuntary cuts will be made if not enough workers take voluntary buyouts.

Bredesen said a budget plan he'll detail to legislators Monday would assume a $468 million shortfall. He said he would propose no new taxes to bridge the funding gap.

"We need to be prepared for some lean times ahead," Bredesen said.

The Tennessee State Employees Association praised the effort to make the buyouts voluntary.