Letter writer William M. Libercci Sr. complains that he doesn't understand how eliminating unfilled state positions reduces the deficit ("Budgetary smoke and mirrors," Jan. 9).
Let me explain: Under normal circumstances, when a state employee retires or otherwise leaves a job, a replacement is hired to perform the same work.
However, due to budget concerns the state has had a hiring freeze for a number of years. When an employee leaves a position, a special exception must be granted in order for a replacement to be hired.
Many positions go unfilled for extended periods, and positions are frequently eliminated so that no replacement is ever hired.
The unfilled positions that have been eliminated constitute savings to the state in the form of salaries and benefits that are no longer being paid.
The result, however, is that the remaining employees in the work unit have to absorb the work that remains. Over time, the number of unfilled or eliminated positions has added up; consequently the remaining workforce has had to perform an exceptional amount of additional work.
It is important to recognize that the government is not like private industry. When demand is high, prices cannot simply be raised and more employees hired.
When economic times are tough, as they have been for some time now, more people require state assistance. That only adds to the volume of work piled on the shrinking number of state employees.
Jeffrey Dier, Lutherville