Mass. candidate would idle 8,000 workers

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - Independent gubernatorial candidate Christy Mihos says that if elected he would lay off up to 8,000 state workers and use some of the estimated $400 million in savings to pay for programs like free tuition at all the state's community colleges.

Mihos told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that he would target top- and mid-level managers in state government.

"We're going to go right through each and every one of them. We need to get lean," he said, adding that he would target "patronage-laden" agencies first. "We want to get as much money back to the cities and towns as possible."

Mihos is running against Republican Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, Democrat Deval Patrick and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Grace Ross in the race to replace Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, who is exploring a run for president.

The figure of 8,000 workers amounts to about 12 percent of the state work force.

The reductions would help pay for a key part of Mihos' platform: a promise to increase from 28 percent to 40 percent over four years the level of state aid going back to cities and towns — at an estimated cost of about $1.7 billion annually to the state.

He also pledged to make tuition free at the state's 15 community colleges. Eliminating tuition would cost $25 million to $30 million, Mihos estimated.

Patrick has promised to add 1,000 new police officers in Massachusetts, turn the state's sweeping health care law into a reality, and end what he calls the Republican "shell game" of calling for lower income taxes while ignoring rising property tax rates.

Ross wants to replace the health care law with a government-run single-payer system and say she would push to make companies pay a fairer share of taxes.

Healey has said she would rein in the Democrat-controlled Legislature by vetoing any new taxes and would crack down on illegal immigration.