PEF’s state budget battle far from finished

By KENNETH BRYNIEN
All around us states are facing a financial day of reckoning. According to some published reports across the country the total deficits faced by the states are pegged at $180 billion and rising.

New York is no different; the state’s deficit increased through the 2009-10 fiscal year and deficit projections for fiscal year 2010-11 continue to grow. Two and a half months ago, the governor presented his Executive Budget to close an almost $9 billion deficit.

As a result of your efforts, we have made the state’s leaders aware of the effect this budget will have on our members, especially in the Office of Children and Family Services and Departments of Correctional Services and Agriculture and Markets, as well as the quarter-of-a-billion dollars in wage and benefit concessions included in the proposed budget.

Although our message has been delivered to the Legislature, our work isn’t done yet, and in some respects it hasn’t begun. We’ve started the first phase of a statewide media campaign, prepared fact sheets and talking points on our issues, organized a lobby day, local rallies and town meetings with legislators as well as multiple fax campaigns. All of this is to lay the ground work for further action on the budget if necessary.

We’ve heard from legislative leaders budget restorations are unlikely and further cuts may be needed to the state budget as revenue options proposed by the governor are likely to be rejected by the Legislature.

We must continue to educate the state’s leaders that cutting services and abolishing jobs in an economic downturn will only prolong the downturn. There are two sides to every budget equation: revenue and cost. Since 2008, state agency budgets have been cut by $2.5 billion, including $1.2 billion in proposed cuts in SFY 2010-11, the work force is 4,500 employees smaller than two years ago and 30,000 employees smaller than in 1990. Despite calls for shared sacrifice that ring hollow, we have sacrificed for years.

We continue to provide options for savings of as much as a quarter billion dollars this year, with recurring savings of more than a billion dollars after three years. Working smarter, while maintaining services and jobs, will go further to bring the state out of its fiscal crisis than damaging and counterproductive cuts.

Our message remains the same. Damaging cuts to state services and the workers who provide them is not a viable option. Our message will grow louder and state leaders who ignore it will do so at their own peril.