BURLINGTON, Vt. AP – A last-gasp effort to avert the layoff of about 120 Vermont state workers fell short Friday when a judge ruled that the administration of Gov. Jim Douglas could go ahead with the cuts without legislative approval.

Chittenden County Superior Court Judge Dennis Pearson denied a request by the Vermont State Employees Association to delay the layoffs – 100 of which were to take effect at day’s end – and dismissed the suit in its entirety.