Paterson’s budget misses the mark
By DEBORAH A. MILES
Gov. David Paterson’s Executive Budget Proposal for 2010-11 squanders the opportunity to save money by reducing the hundreds of millions of dollars the state has wasted on excessive and overpriced consultants. And Paterson has set his budget sights on the state work force and the vital services it provides.
The budget proposal asks for $250 million in negotiated savings from the state work force through such options as a pay lag, or delay or deferral of the 4 percent general salary increase scheduled for April 1, which is included in the final year of the PS&T contract.
“PEF is willing to listen and discuss proposals, but I cannot and will not ask members to reopen our contract which was negotiated in good faith. The 4 percent raise is the last one in the current contract,” said PEF President Ken Brynien. “It’s not fair to ask a member to give back a negotiated raise, especially when he works alongside a contractor who earns twice as much.”
The governor admits he cannot legally implement these cuts without negotiating with PEF and other state employee unions. The budget also proposes requiring employee and retiree contributions to Medicare Part B premiums, which was sought unsuccessfully in last year’s Executive Budget.
“Ever
since New York spiraled into fiscal failure, PEF has detailed how the state
can save as much as $656 million over three years by reducing its
unnecessary reliance on consultants
(See
related story)
and having state employees do the same work at a huge savings to taxpayers,”
Brynien said. “The governor has this plan, yet he keeps trying to balance
his budget on the backs of state employees. The governor has taken some
steps to cut spending on consultants, but much more can be done.”Brynien also said if the governor cuts the state work force and asks state employees to give back their negotiated raises; it will hinder state services, increase unemployment and weaken an already crippled economy.
Budget affects PEF members
Throughout the state, the work force would be reduced by an estimated 674 positions including 134 layoffs beginning in January 2011 which would affect PEF and other union members, although how many PEF members is not yet known.
The state Office of Mental Health would close eight wards and a sex-offender unit in the Manhattan Psychiatric Center and lose 128 positions. Some staff would be transferred to community programs and others to outpatient residential care and transitional community care facilities.
At the state Department of Correctional Services, Paterson has targeted the Lyon Mountain minimum security facility in Clinton County and the Butler minimum security facility in Wayne County to close in January 2011. Two other prisons would close in April 2011, the Moriah shock facility in Essex County and Ogdensburg medium security facility in St. Lawrence County. The closures would be undertaken in compliance with the current law requiring one-year notification. These closures would reduce the work force by 637 staff, including 17 management staff.
Mostly because of added positions, the net loss in DOCS would total 60 positions, which DOCS expects to do through attrition.
At the state Office of Children and Family Services, the governor proposes to close the Annsville non-secure facility and consolidate it with Taberg, another non-secure facility, effective January 2011. (See related story, page 9) He plans to downsize the Tryon Boys Residential Center and the Lansing non-secure center. These actions would lead to a reduction of 251 youth-facility positions, 239 of which were filled by November 2009. These losses would be offset, in part, by the addition of 169 new youth- facility positions to provide medical and mental health services and improve staff-to-resident ratios.
Paterson proposes to eliminate 40 positions at the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, including 34 layoffs. In addition, the proposed budget would cut, through attrition, 91 jobs at the state Department of Transportation, 54 jobs at the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and 67 jobs at the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
He also targets the state Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) with a plan to eliminate 20 research positions at its Institute for Basic Research which would impair the facility’s mission.
Some gains proposed
The budget does call for spending $3 million at DEC, the state Health Department and the Department of Public Service for staff oversight of natural gas drilling permits expected to result from the development of the Marcellus Shale. (See related story, page 11)
OMRDD remains fairly stable with no grant funding to be eliminated and an increase of 89 positions.
Agency consolidations
The proposed budget recommends seven plans to merge or consolidate state agencies and public authorities, producing a full annual savings of $14.8 million.
The Crime Victims Board, Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives would merge with the Division of Criminal Justice Services.
The Department of Economic Development and the Empire State Development Corporation would consolidate and move to the newly created Job Development Corporation.
Other proposed consolidations include uniting the management structures at the Division of Housing and Community Renewal with the various public authorities that constitute NYHOMES. The governor also wants to create a new Division of Homeland Security Services comprising the Office of Homeland Security, State Emergency Management Office, State 911 Board, Office of Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Coordination and the Office of Fire Prevention and Control. The Office of Real Property Services would merge into the Department of Taxation and Finance.
Brynien said PEF will remain vigilant as the budget further unfolds and will fight for job security of members and services for New Yorkers.