Baker administration instituting higher freeze

BOSTON (AP) - Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is instituting a hiring freeze for all executive branch agencies under his control.

The freeze is part of an overall effort to identify up to $100 million in savings outlined under the state budget signed last week for the 2017 fiscal year that began July 1.

In a memo sent Friday to all cabinet secretaries, Baker says new hires will be permitted only where affordable within existing payroll caps. Exemptions to the freeze are listed in the memo.

Cabinet secretaries also can seek a waiver for individual positions.

The state has seen its revenue predictions for the current fiscal year fall by nearly $1 billion from initial estimates.

That forced additional belt-tightening in the nearly $39 billion budget.