YOUNGSVILLE, La. (KLFY) – The partial Government Shutdown is hitting close to home here in Acadiana.
The shutdown is at 18 days, the second longest ever.
The shutdown is at 18 days, the second longest ever.
Under President Bill Clinton in 1995 to 1996, that shutdown lasted 21 days.
Under President Obama in 2013, it lasted 16 days.
“So with the federal government shutdown, we’re going to have to absorb the costs of that disposal,” said Youngsville Police Chief Rickey Boudreaux.
At a drug bust in Youngsville Tuesday, Police Chief Rickey Boudreaux says normally the Drug Enforcement Agency has a contractor they use to dispose of hazardous chemicals during an investigation.
But now the cost will come out of the P.D.’s bottom line.
“It’s going to put a dent in the budget for me, for equipment and stuff I need. But I’m hoping to be able to recover the cost through the courts,” said Boudreaux.
“Booked my trip in (to Lafayette). And I think it was the Friday before Christmas, we got notice that we were on furlough. And then from there, it’s just been a waiting game, been waiting everyday to find out when we will re-open,” said Angelina Leger, a furloughed federal employee who works for FEMA in D.C.
Leger is from Lafayette but lives in Washington D.C. and works for FEMA’s Office of Recovery, now for about 6 years.
She’s one of the roughly 800,000 government employees working without pay or on furlough, since the shutdown began on December 22.
“I know my mom taught me well, save for a rainy day, and so I’ve been fortunate I’ve been able to do that.
If it would extend past 2 paychecks, I would really have to think about, what’s my next move, what do I continue to do?,” she said.
Leger will stay put for now and see what happens with the government shutdown.
As everyone on Tuesday, says they’re just hopeful a deal is reached soon.
“I’m very hopeful that they can make a decision and they come to a compromise. With all good leadership there’s compromise,” said Leger.
“Something like this affects us all the way down to the very households we’re sworn to protect. So I say, let’s get it over with and get back to business,” said Boudreaux.
Historically the government has given federal employees back pay for the time they did not work during shutdowns like this.
However, CBS News reports that there’s no back pay for federal contractors, some of whom have taken on second jobs during the shutdown.
