Two Indiana agencies, the Department of Transportation and the Family and Social Services Administration, announced layoffs today. 19 people were laid off between the two departments, bringing the total since July 2009 to 431. Chris Ruhl, Director of the Indiana Office of Management and Budget, acknowledged the layoffs but added that 55 of those who lost their jobs were reassigned to other positions dropping the actual total of jobs lost to 376. That number represents about one percent of Indiana’s public workforce.

State governments across the country have cut over 40,000 jobs during the past two years. State and local layoffs, many economists argue, will continue to put a drag on economic growth into 2011.