Remember all those scare stories about California budget-cutting and the state government having to slash its workforce? Don't believe the hype:
From June 2008 to February 2009, most state agencies either increased or kept the same number of full-time employees, according to a [Sacramento] Bee analysis of personnel data. The state also failed to lay off as many part-time employees during the crisis as promised by the governor.
While legislators and Schwarzenegger debated how to close a $40 billion budget deficit, 66 state agencies saw a net gain of full-time employees, 35 kept the same number of employees and 55 lost employees, data from the state controller's office show.
The overall number of full-time state employees increased by roughly 2,000, or 1 percent, excluding the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, which always shrinks sharply outside of fire season, the figures show.
The Reason Foundation's Adam Summers documented Schwarzenegger's Gray Davis-like hiring binge, among other government-expanding activities, in this February report. Other Schwarzeneggeria can be found here.
