The State Worker: DMV service slowed by furloughs, report says

The State Worker

Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers

November 2, 2009

DMV service slowed by furloughs, report says

The Governor's furlough program has caused longer wait times and eroded service overall at the Department of Motor Vehicles, according to a report published today by the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes.

"The average time a walk-in customer waits for service has gone from 27 minutes to 45 minutes since implementation of furloughs at the DMV. Those furloughs do not save the state General Fund money, because fees on motorists and the federal government fund the department," according to this press release from Sen. Darrell Steinberg's office.

Click here to read, "DMV Shifts into Reverse: Furlough Fridays Eliminate Gains in Service at Department of Motor Vehicles without Saving General Fund Money."

Steinberg, a Sacramento Democrat and Senate President Pro Tem, has been working to rollback state worker furloughs. This latest report by the SOOO follows another about how furloughs impact the state's 24/7 facilities such as prisons. You can click here for our post on "Furloughs in Round-the-Clock Operations: Savings are Illusory."

Schwarzenegger administration spokesman Aaron McLear responded to the Steinberg report: "We understand that the Legislature and Sen. Steinberg don't share the governor's committment to reducing spending, but just as every family and business in California is doing, we must cut back."

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