By Carrie Pond
Nashville, TN – Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen says he won't rule out state employee layoffs amid a growing budget shortfall. Bredesen says it won't be possible for Tennessee to bridge what could end up an $800 million budget gap without reducing the number of employees on the payroll. The governor says the state will accomplish some savings through a hiring freeze, but he's not willing to take the possibility of mandatory layoffs off the table. The governor's attempt to cut expenses earlier this year was thwarted after 800 too few state workers accepted his voluntary buyout packages.