Budget cuts as a reason for poor service

She told me she was unable to help me because of budget cuts, and there's a backlog of work, and there's just no one who can help me.

Really.

Can you guess which profession employs this woman ?

Mm, pretty sure it's not the service profession.  Never, EVER have I hear anyone use budget and staff cuts as a reason to not give me service.  An overworked waitress covering twice her number of tables because half the staff was stranded by winter weather has NEVER said she can't help me.  She might apologize for a long wait and have smart management that gives free desserts to make up for it, but the service sector has never flat out told me they can not help me.


Let me back up a step and say that she probably was very overworked, and there probably IS a huge backlog of work with no one to take care of it.
That's not my beef.

I've just never heard "budget cuts" as an excuse from the private sector at all.
Ever.

Have you?  If so, in what context, from which profession?