Longest U.S. Shutdown

Has Little Local Impact 

Only 2½ Layoffs Of Federal Workers Here

By LIBBY CUDMORE

So far, except for 2 1/2 layoffs at the USDA Farm Service Agency, there appears to be no local impacts from the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, now in its fourth week. Approximately 125 Otsego County residents work for the federal government, but most work for the U.S. Postal Service, which is exempt from the shutdown, said Christian Harris, state Labor Department analyst, Southern Tier Region. The three Farm Service Agency employees – two full-time, one part time – are at the Soil & Water Conservation office, were furloughed, as was Dana Razzano, an FDA food inspector, formerly of Cooperstown, who now works out of Albany. “We’ve only missed one paycheck, so we’re doing okay,” she said. “But if we miss a second one, it could be a problem.” She spent the first week filing for unemployment and trying to work with her mortgage and credit card companies to get assistance with payments. “I’ve never filed for unemployment before,” she said. “It’s embarrassing. I’m stressed. My co-workers are stressed.”