This Public Service Recognition Week, we extend our deepest gratitude to the millions of public employees who work every day to serve and strengthen our communities.
Approximately 20.6 million Americans work for state and local governments. They teach in our public schools, protect our lives and property, and facilitate essential programs that help our communities thrive. As we recognize the contributions of public employees this Public Service Recognition Week, we cannot ignore the challenges facing the public sector today. Public service faces unprecedented attacks at every level, from sweeping federal job cuts to budgetary shortfalls–more than recognition, they need our support.
DOGE and the State-Level Clone Effect
Throughout American history, public employees have often had to advocate for themselves–for adequate pay, healthcare, safe working conditions, sufficient training and support, and retirement benefits. The labor movement boasts a proud history of working with lawmakers to improve working conditions for all. However, the current actions of the administration have proven that the fight for public services and the working folks who provide them continues to wage on.
When the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began to wage its war on federal government employees, slashing thousands of jobs and billions of dollars from critical federal programs, it didn’t take long for state governments to follow suit. Claiming the intent to “streamline” state and government programs, these state-level DOGE committees are slashing funds and services that are vital to the survival and function of every single community across the country. While states’ leadership may claim they are taking a “more modest approach” to decimating public services, the truth is that the current disintegration of the public sector workforce will impact communities for decades to come.
Cuts to the federal Department of Education have coincided with a flurry of layoffs in several states, disproportionately affecting lower-income and rural communities, our most vulnerable school districts. The loss of National Weather Service and US Forest Service positions in Oklahoma puts the entire state in jeopardy as tornado season approaches, placing extra pressure on state and local emergency services to carry the burden of protecting lives and property in Tornado Alley.
The Economic Downfall of Cutting Public Jobs
Mass layoffs–and budget cuts–in the public sector have a direct impact on state and local economies, especially when it comes to pensions. Public pension systems rely on three streams of revenue: employee contributions, employer contributions, and investment returns. With fewer employees on the payroll, less money goes into the system. Less money in the system equals lower investment gains, which could prompt states to cut programs and raise taxes to fill in the gaps.
Pensions recruit and retain qualified employees, which can save states and municipalities hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. Between recruiting and training, it can cost up to 200% of an employee’s salary to replace them, causing undue stress on agencies and taxpayers. The hidden costs of losing institutional knowledge trickle down to community members in other surprising ways. Interruptions in public transportation, delays in business licenses and permits, closure of refuse transfer stations, postponement of SNAP benefits distribution, and even the cancellation of bus transportation for public school students are all examples of how eroding public services caused by high vacancy rates end up costing everyday Americans.
Public pension dollar expenditures made by retirees also account for a significant portion of local economies, impacting the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in small cities and rural areas.
Public Employees Deserve Better
From teachers who inspire young minds, to firefighters who bravely safeguard our homes, to the nurses, sanitation workers, librarians, and countless others who serve with unwavering dedication, they are the everyday heroes, the steady hands and open hearts behind all that makes our lives better, brighter, and possible. At a time when public service faces unprecedented challenges—including layoffs, staffing shortages, ideological attacks, and resource constraints—they continue to show up for us every single day.
NPPC will continue to advocate for public employees and the respect and benefits they deserve. This Public Service Recognition Week, we give thanks for the real people we rely on every single day. We see you, we appreciate you, and we will keep fighting for you.