There has absolutely been a "real reduction" in state workers.  Just ask the people we are watching walk out the door in Juneau.  You can't prop up your arguments with fallacies and generalizations.  After yet another round of cuts via these line item vetoes, the state of Alaska has one of the five smallest government budgets in the nation.  And most of those other small state governments have taxpayer generated revenue to pay for services.  We can't not have skin in the game as oil declines, unless, you want to do away with government services that many would complain about if they weren't provided.  So - what do you do?  What services are not essential to the majority of Alaskans?   For the people who do work, and work well, you want them not to have merit based raises.  Fair enough - that cuts about 65 million in a year.  Certainly not the CAUSE of all budget woes as that represents about 1.7% of the total budget deficit.  So blaming government workers doesn't pass the smell test.