AUBURN -- The county Legislature Ways and Means Committee discussed -- and ultimately tabled -- a resolution to freeze the hiring of personnel for vacancies caused by retirements for the remainder of 2008.

County Manager Wayne Allen said tough times are ahead and it's important to keep that in mind as legislators begin thinking about the 2009-10 budget.

"You're going to have some great difficult choices to make," he said. "Your revenues are not coming in as projected, there may be a possibility that your workforce may have to be reduced. ... This gives department heads an opportunity to explain why they need to fill a position.

"You need to start thinking about budget and where you want to go," he later added. "This is the first step in that process, to start to scrutinize where you need to fill and not fill."

Legislator Dan Schuster, D-Auburn, said this resolution was all bark and no bite in that department heads would have to ask approval to fill positions, which is what currently is required.

"It's not really changing practice at all," he said. "It's just sort of passing a resolution so that keeps it in our minds -- which is good thing to do -- but it doesn't really change the practice at all."

Legislator Peter Tortorici, R-Auburn, agreed with Schuster's take on the resolution, and added that bite. He proposed a hiring freeze for all vacancies, not just ones from retirements. A two-thirds supermajority would be able to rescind that freeze if a department wanted to hire personnel.

Committee Chair Francis Mitchell, R-Genoa, pulled the resolution from the agenda following the discussion. It may return to the floor during the full meeting of the Legislature next Tuesday.

For more, read Wednesday's Citizen