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State budget cuts are forcing the closing of the state’s oldest school for boys, and more than 200 people are being laid off at the state mental hospital. Both are located in rural north Florida near Marianna, and local residents are concerned about what  will happens to the local economy. State Senator Bill Montford is opening a satellite office to help with relocation, but he says the cuts will devastate the area.

“We’re talking about creating jobs? We’re going in the wrong direction, certainly here in North Florida,” Montford said. “Not only is it the jobs we’re losing, but it’s the impact that it’s going to have on the business community. When you remove probably 100 million dollars of buying power from North Florida, that’s going to have a tremendous negative impact on the business community.”

Employees will stay on the job until June 30th.