by Todd Wineburner

State Treasurer Dan Rutherford says he’s not exempting his own office from the belt-tightening he’s calling for from the general assembly. Rutherford says he cut his office budget 2 percent for this fiscal year, and he’s scheduled another 3 percent reduction for next fiscal year. Staff re-organization, fleet size reduction, land-line and mobile telephone re-structuring, and closing satellite offices are all areas where Rutherford says money is being saved in his office. Future changes in the treasurer’s office include cutting computer software expenses, as well as purchasing office supplies in bulk. Rutherford admits that his gesture is largely symbolic given that his office’s budget is only a tiny portion of the overall state budget.