Many state offices to close Thursday

DENVER – A number of state offices will close Thursday, one of eight furlough days mandated to save money during the continuing economic downturn, which has stretched the state’s resources and forced widespread spending cuts in Colorado’s government.

State offices also will be closed Friday, Jan. 1, for the New Year’s Day holiday.

Driver’s license offices, the Department of Public Health and Environment’s vital records office, state history museums, the Attorney General’s Office, the Division of Wildlife Service Centers and administrative offices for executive branch agencies are among the facilities that will close Thursday, putting 15,500 employees on unpaid furlough.

Colorado State Parks will be open Thursday, but the agency’s visitor centers will close. State troopers will be working the highways and Department of Transportation snow plows and maintenance crews will work when and where needed, and the Traffic Operations Center will be running. The state unemployment benefits office, state nursing homes, hospitals and care centers also will be open. The state Judicial Branch and courts, Treasurer’s Office and Secretary of State’s Office will be open as well.

Thursday’s closures will mark the fourth mandatory furlough day for state employees in during Fiscal Year 2009-2010 and four more furlough days – Jan. 15, Feb. 12, April 2 and May 28 – are scheduled. The eight furlough days are expected to save taxpayers an estimated $27.2 million.