Not really. I also noted in my post that raising taxes was another alternative, likely the only other "reasonable" one. If the choice is a)raising taxes, b)firing 6000 workers, or c)retaining all workers, not raising taxes, and simply forcing public sector workers to pay into their health and pension plans at a level close to the private sector and remove their ability to, through CBA, hold the state hostage, then the choice seems clear.