As we think about returning to work tomorrow, I’m thinking about city workers. Mostly, people who work for the government get a bad rap. Many people presume that “gummit work” is all they could get. Most city workers are very hard-working and dedicated.

The City of Houston is one of the largest employers in our region with 20,000+ employees. It is larger than most businesses and it faces the magnitude of human resource issues of any major corporation.

It is important to remember that 2/3 of the city budget is dedicated to public safety. Police and Fire employees are not included in the mandatory furloughs.

I admit that it is easy not to feel sorry for these employees who have to give up a little bit of pay for a required day-off. Most of us are thinking they should just be happy they have jobs, even if they have to make sacrifices.

Believe me, I have felt the recession close to home and know the sacrifice it can bring.

Yet, I also know these city workers are going to feel the pain of a lightened paycheck. Many of them are living pay day to pay day like most Americans.

Still, all in all, this is a small sacrifice for them to make. I want to say THANK YOU city workers – for all you do and for doing your part to make our city budget stronger.