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Uploaded: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 10:34 AM                                             

USGS cancels March lecture due to budget cuts
Federal budget sequestration prevent speaker's travel

Posted by Menlo Resident, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Mar 14, 2013 at 1:02 pm

Cancellation of this lecture makes sense considering the topic. We are spending far too many dollars on "soft", unnecessary expenditures that can be delayed or better yet totally eliminated. It would be great if more of these types of expenditures were given the light of day so we know how our tax dollars are being wasted.

Posted by John Allan, a resident of the Menlo Park: Fair Oaks neighborhood, on Mar 14, 2013 at 2:36 pm

Am I supposed to feel guilty? My budget has been cut over 25% from last years thanks to the ongoing losy economy. This agency cannot deal with 2 or 3 percent cut? They are still probably getting as much, or slightly more than last year, just not as big a raise as they wanted. Boo Hoo, I feel so sorry for them.

Posted by new guy, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Mar 14, 2013 at 7:34 pm

This is the pain Obama wants us to feel so that we will vote for more tax increases. Please bring on the "pain" of having one less "lecture". OMG the sky is falling.

Actually, I was talking to my coworkers about this issue today.

If a 3% cut is CATASTROPHIC then what is 4% or 5% or what we in the real would have to face which is much higher.

Love to see what "impacts" happen when government takers "lose" their cushy budgets.

Posted by Look at it this way, a resident of another community, on Mar 14, 2013 at 7:37 pm

Government employees want to equate budget cuts with less work. That implies their rate of pay must stay the same. Why are we letting them get away with that? When cutbacks are made in the private sector, people work harder to weather the storm. And much bigger cuts are routinely made in silicon valley than this so-called sequester.

Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Mar 14, 2013 at 8:10 pm

This isn't a 3% cut, it's a lack of a 3% increase. Please tell me why the government can't do the same thing it did last year with the same amount of money?

Posted by Federal Employee, a resident of the Woodside: Skywood/Skylonda neighborhood, on Mar 15, 2013 at 6:15 am

The impact of the sequestration is a lot harsher than people commenting on this article seem to understand, and there are budget cuts, its not a lack of an increase. Travel cuts impact the ability of USGS employees to go out and do the work that protects and informs the public. Budget cuts mean that some work wont be done. Earthquakes, floods, volcanic activity will continue to happen, but now it will be harder than ever before to do the work needed to do.

People at the USGS are some of the hardest working people I have ever known. When they are in the field they regularly work weekends without pay. Last summer, because of field work, I worked a full month without a day off and had no compensation for those weekends. We accept this because we love our work.

With sequestration it will be against the law for this to happen, people will not be allowed to work on furlough days or weekends.

Posted by Suit, a resident of the Menlo Park: Belle Haven neighborhood, on Mar 15, 2013 at 6:21 am

Oh please. Whenever I've visited teh MP USGS office as a liaison for another govt agency, I've found it to be one of the sleepiest backwoods areas of govt super-slow-mo cush job sites I've ever known.

Posted by neighbor, a resident of another community, on Mar 15, 2013 at 8:20 am

Very tired of the government bashing by the wealthy Menlo Park/Palo Alto residents who have zero understanding of the work that goes on in these deparments.....Yes, I said WORK.