By SHERRY HALBROOK

For PEF members, Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s long-promised “Day 1” dawned January 31 with sunshine and blue skies when he presented his Executive Budget for 2007-08.

Under the proposal, PEF estimates the long-beleaguered state work force will climb by approximately 2,500 positions, with an estimated 1,800 of those in the PS&T unit that PEF represents.

Because the budget will significantly boost the work force, with few offsetting cuts, no early retirement incentive was proposed.
The budget does call for a net loss of 268 contract employees — a first for the state.

“The status-quo has failed us,” the governor said, “We need to fundamentally change the old paradigm.”

“Now, it appears we have a governor who recognizes the better use of tax dollars is to invest in the state work force,” said PEF President Ken Brynien. “We are particularly pleased that this budget would increase staffing at the state Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Conservation (DEC). These added resources are long overdue and will benefit the taxpayers of New York.”
Following close on the heels of the DOT, which is scheduled to pick up 411 positions, is the state Office of Mental Health (OMH) with a net gain of 405.

The state Offices of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the Medicaid Inspector General, as well as the Department of Taxation and Finance and DEC would all post triple-digit growth in staff.

“This is the best Executive Budget proposal for the state work force in the last 20 years,” said PEF Director of Civil Service Enforcement Tom Cetrino, PEF’s lead budget analyst.

Spitzer apparently heard PEF’s call for the state to boost its revenues and restore tax justice by closing corporate and other tax loopholes. The governor would add $450 million to state revenues this fiscal year by doing just that.

Not every cloud on PEF’s horizon disappeared when Spitzer’s Day 1 dawned.

The ominous threat of privatization, that has loomed over the three teaching and research hospitals operated by the state University of New York (SUNY) since the Berger Commission Report became law January 1, remains.

But Cetrino said he thinks the budget proposal for SUNY may offer some spark of hope for SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse because, while it still calls for the center to be merged with Crouse Hospital, it does not specifically state that SUNY could not operate the combined facilities.

In presenting his budget, Spitzer said he wants the state to focus the health care system and funding on improving services to patients, and that Medicaid funding will continue to flow to those hospitals that actually treat large numbers of Medicaid patients — tests the SUNY hospitals meet.

Spitzer said he expects his nominee for health commissioner will “retool the state Health Department to reflect a public health perspective.”

The budget does not call for closing any state prisons or psychiatric centers, but it does not slam the door on them either.

It would establish a Prison Closure Commission to study whether efficiencies could be gained by closing, consolidating or changing the roles of some state correctional facilities. This commission would be required to consult with PEF and the other affected unions and communities.

The budget also calls for a review to make the OMH system more cost-effective and more responsive to regional needs. It requires OMH to work with PEF and other stakeholders in this process.

Although the budget would add a substantial number of jobs at OCFS, it also calls for closing a facility and three group homes for troubled youths.

“We have concerns about the closings,” Brynien said, “PEF is committed to protecting the job security of our members at these facilities.”

Cetrino said the budget does not say if the state will continue the previous administration’s plan to relocate the food testing laboratory from Albany to Geneva.

Further highlights of some of the budget implications for specific agencies are given in other articles throughout this magazine, and complete analyses by PEF for all state agencies are posted on the Web at pef.org under “Budgets.”

The Communicator March 2007

Features
STATE BUDGET:
- Spitzer's workforce plan
- Lawmakers reform budget process
- Go Public
- DOT
- OCFS
- DOCS
- SED
- DEC
- DOH
- DOL
- OMIG
- OMH
- OMRDD
Threats put parole office on edge

Departments
President's Message
You Said It: Letters to the editor
Point-Counterpoint
Retirees In Action
Getting To Know PEF
Health Notes
Membership Benefits &Travel

Union Matters
Convention Delegates 07 Info
Marchers rally for Suny Upstate
Nurses: Lobby Day is May 22
Stopping attacks at Bronx PC
March is Woman's history month
O'Connel loses Senate bid
Accident takes council leader
Vacancy; Admin. Exec.

Oops! The February issue mistakenly identified member Sue Jeffords as retired; incorrectly referred to PEF Division 239 as Division 283; and omitted that retired thoroughbred C.L. Rib ran 93 races and hit the tote board 51 times.

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