POCATELLO - Though no official proposal has yet been made in the state Legislature, the Idaho State University Faculty Senate has responded to rumblings that a blanket 10 percent salary cut may be imposed on state workers.

The Faculty Senate voted unanimously, with one abstention, on Monday to approve a resolution opposing such a cut.

Faculty Sen. Peter Vik said the blanket cut idea seems to be "gaining legs."

"A number of people from ISU have been over in Boise and talking with the Republican leadership. Some of the legislators were saying, 'We're all in this together. We're all Idahoans,'" Vik said. "We oppose this, and we view it as a targeted income tax that's only being applied to state employees. If they're saying we're all Idahoans, then they should expect all Idahoans to help contribute."

The impetus for the Faculty Senate's vote came when Faculty Sen. David Adler saw a guest opinion column in last Sunday's edition of the Idaho Statesman written by a University of Idaho professor who supported the measure, provided that the state would promise to restore salaries in better times.

"I think there would be no way that the state could guarantee to make those cuts up," Adler said. "I'm very opposed to any cuts in salaries to state employees. What it really does is target a select number of Idahoans and impose a tax on them."

Instead of cutting state workers' wages, Adler suggests a temporary increase in the sales tax, with rebates awarded to low-income residents. Another possibility Adler mentioned would be to dip into the state's rainy day fund.

"This would be devastating to higher education," Adler said. "Faculty lag behind their peers. They've been underpaid, and to now impose this reduction - this tax - would be very cruel, and you could likely expect a number of faculty around the state would be leaving."

Rep. Dennis Lake, R-Blackfoot, hasn't heard any talk of a 10 percent blanket cut, nor has he heard specific details about any other plan to reduce wages or benefits. But Lake anticipates pay and wage cuts will be coming for state workers.

"The simple fact of the matter is 85 percent of all tax dollars end up as wages or benefits. If you're faced with the type of budget shortfall we're faced with, where else do you go?" Lake asked. "I think there is a good chance we will be reducing salaries and benefits in some way, but I think that's something that's still on the drawing board. I don't know of any firm proposal right now."

Lake said the state's rainy day fund is already being tapped for other purposes, and he argues now would be a poor time to propose a tax increase.

"My goodness' sakes, we're dipping into the rainy day fund. We're using it as we speak, daily. Before we're through with this, there will not be such a thing as a rainy day fund," Lake said. "And I have not heard one soul talk about (a tax increase) being a solution. A general tax increase, that's not even a consideration."

If state workers' salaries end up being cut, Vik noted Pocatello's economy - in which the state provides a disproportionate share of jobs - would be particularly hard hit.

"You're talking about taking a lot of discretionary spending out of our economy, and that's going to be destructive to our local businesses," Vik said.

If cuts must be made, Vik also opposes using a blanket policy.

"You have to trust the organization to look for the cuts and look for a responsible way to make the cuts, not just a blanket, uniform, blind cut," Vik said.