License to gripe: Furloughs anger MVC customers

Confused customers were turned away from New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission offices throughout the state yesterday, thanks to furloughs that will hit many other departments and agencies later this week.

"You got to be kidding me," Karen Gray of Newark said after reading a sign announcing the closure that was posted on the window of the commission office in Wayne. "What a mess!"

The furloughs are part of Gov. Jon Corzine's plan to cut spending to balance a budget that's $1.2 billion short on cash by the end of the fiscal year June 30.

The Motor Vehicle Commission advertised the furloughs on its website and posted notices at offices, but many customers were still unaware and were greeted by locked doors yesterday. The furloughs did not apply to vendor-owned facilities and inspection stations, which are privately run.

State worker furloughs will continue Friday with nearly 30 state agencies, including Corzine's office, scheduled to take a full day off. The state court system also will close Friday. Another seven departments are scheduled to be on furlough on May 26. More are slated for June.

Mark Perkiss, a spokesman for the state Civil Service Commission, which is administering the furloughs, said departments have been advertising furlough days on the web. Media coverage of the furlough issue also has been widespread, he said.

"People know this is coming," Perkiss said.

Corzine also is asking state workers to accept as many as 12 unpaid furlough days beginning in July, something the union has opposed. As many as 9,000 workers could be laid off if furloughs aren't a part of the new budget, Corzine has said.

People who were upset to find shuttered offices would fare even worse if layoffs were instituted, Corzine said yesterday.

"They could have that kind of problem on an ongoing basis if we have to move to layoffs," he said....