State, city offices to close Thursday, Friday

DENVER - If you have business with a state office or city of Denver office that needs to be taken care of by the end of the week, Wednesday is likely your last day to get that done. For many state and city workers, the day after Thanksgiving will be a mandated furlough day to help balance their respective government budgets.

Colorado driver's license offices, state museums and administrative offices for many state agencies will be closed on Friday. Roughly 15,500 state workers are affected by the furlough. State troopers, nursing home workers, hospitals and the Colorado Department of Transportation's operations center will remain open.

State workers have already taken two unpaid days off so far this year and in addition to Friday, they will be furloughed on December 31. Four additional furlough days are scheduled for the early part of next year, saving taxpayers $27.2 million.

In the city of Denver, employees at the workforce centers, the 3-1-1 information line, recreation centers, and libraries will be furloughed. Police, fire and sheriff's workers will not. This is the fourth and final furlough day of 2009 for city workers. Each one saves taxpayers approximately $1 million.

People looking to take advantage of the day after Thanksgiving shopping opportunities should know parking meters will be enforced on Friday.