Petersburg Pilot -

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Wednesday announced plans to furlough more than 40,000 state workers to balance the budget as tax revenue takes a hit during the coronavirus pandemic.

The furloughs will take effect Jan. 1 and cut worker pay by 9.2%, Ige said. The governor said he and members of his Cabinet would take the same percentage salary cut.

The economic effects of the pandemic have been particularly hard on Hawaii, its workers and tax revenue, Ige said. The state has had the nation’s highest unemployment rate for months as travelers stayed home to avoid getting infected....