Californians survived the first day of a historic government shutdown Friday, as drivers stumbled into locked doors at DMV offices, workers' compensation claims adjusters stayed home and callers to the Paid Family Leave program tried in vain to reach live operators.
More than 200,000 state employees were ordered off the job amid a sweeping new furlough program. And while many workers and taxpayers groused, at the end of the day state officials had saved $38 million in personnel costs — not bad, though just a sliver of California's estimated $40 billion deficit.
Despite warnings Thursday that many workers were confused about whether or not to show up for work, state officials and labor unions said Friday they had heard about few major glitches.
Closures of one of the agencies that affects large numbers of Californians, the Department of Motor Vehicles, did prompt some confusion among motorists.
Nearly everyone who showed up to the DMV branch on Alma Avenue in San Jose had no idea it was Day One of the furloughs. The governor's decision to close state offices on the first and third Fridays of each month received mixed reactions from the estimated 40 people who arrived at the branch between 8 and 9 a.m.
In fact, Schwarzenegger does not accept his salary as the state's governor.
Dan Woods of San Jose, who said he is well aware of the state's budget crisis and simply forgot about Friday's closures, agreed with the governor's move.
The largest labor union affected by the furloughs, Service Employees International Union Local 1000, sent employees to the entrances of shuttered DMV offices to remind customers about the closures.
The 34 total days of unpaid furlough equals a 9.3 percent pay cut for the 238,000 workers affected — including 2,455 in Santa Clara County. The furlough program comes after months of negotiations to try to solve the state's projected shortfall.
Although the program is expected to last until the middle of 2010, an end date can be modified depending on the kind of budget agreement state leaders eventually adopt. The governor and legislative leaders met Friday afternoon to continue negotiating.
While most state offices were closed to the public Friday, about 24,000 state employees stayed on the job. Those include California Highway Patrol officers and dozens of other workers — including state firefighters, some Food & Agriculture workers and those in transportation maintenance — whom the governor exempted from the furloughs to avoid service disruptions.
But McLear said the state will dock their pay and force them to take a furlough at a later date.
Veronica Sanchez, who works for the CalPERS pension fund, volunteered at her first-grade son's Sacramento school Friday, but grew anxious as she contemplated the $500 paycheck reduction the furlough would cost.
Other state workers were likely headed to Lake Tahoe to take advantage of fresh snow and deeply discounted ski lift tickets.
"What better way to spend your furlough," asked a news release from Squaw Valley, which is offering $30 lift tickets to affected state workers.
Mercury News staff writer Mark Gomez contributed to this report. Contact Edwin Garcia at egarcia@mercurynews.com or (916) 441-4651.