Schwarzenegger Appeals Ruling Halting Furloughs

(CN) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has appealed an Alameda County judge's decision to temporarily halt furloughs scheduled for an estimated 156,000 state workers.

Last month, Schwarzenegger ordered the workers to be furloughed on Friday and two other days this month, citing the state's severe cash shortfall. The state does not have a budget in place more than a month after the fiscal year began on July 1.

Several unions challenged the order, and Superior Court Judge Steven Brick temporarily barred the workers from being furloughed, saying the unions "raised at least serious questions concerning (Schwarzenegger's) authority to implement furloughs."

Brick also expressed skepticism that the furloughs would save the estimated $80 million to $110 million that the governor claimed they would.

"It appears just as likely that the state's financial woes will continue - at least until a new budget has been adopted by the Legislature and signed by the governor - whether the proposed furloughs are allowed to be implemented on Aug. 13, 2010 or not," he wrote.

He stayed the furloughs until a full hearing takes place in September.

In his appeal, Schwarzenegger said Brick's decision will "significantly exacerbate the state's already precarious cash situation."

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