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Campaign intensifies for cost-benefit analysis bill
By DEBORAH A. MILES
Three down and one to go.
That’s the tally of PEF’s GO Public accountability bills Gov. Pataki has signed
into law.
The remaining bill, the cost-benefit analysis legislation introduced by Assembly
Member Susan John and Sen. Nick Spano, would require state agencies to analyze
and compare the relative costs and benefits of using their own employees to do
work, versus handing it off to a contractor.
“We have been hammering the point of financial waste by the state and we are
ready to pull out all stops to get this last piece of legislation signed into
law,” said PEF President Roger Benson. “The state has never challenged our GO
Public ads that claim it wastes $250 million a year on contractors.”
The Cost Benefit bill (A.1259/S.6575) has passed the Assembly and now the push
is to get the Senate on board. PEF’s plan is to turn up the heat with the GO
Public campaign.
During the month of April, members will mobilize and send nearly 5,000 postcards
to their senators, urging them to pass the bill. A media blitz is also in the
works with statewide ads appearing in major newspapers, and television spots
running from May 22 to June 9.
“This campaign will address state accountability to taxpayers,” Benson said.
“From time to time, proposals are put forward to privatize services of state
government. While some of these plans may sound good, the overspending of public
money is hazardous to the public interest.”
“This bill would regulate the process for awarding contracts for services by
state agencies and establish several conditions that must be met before such
contracts are awarded,” said Brian Curran, PEF legislative director and counsel.
“The primary focus of this legislation is to protect public interest by
requiring full disclosure of the anticipated costs and benefits of a contract
for services,” Curran said.
The bill is based on legislation adopted by the state of Maine in 1997. Steve
Butterfield, director of information services for Service Employees
International Union Local 1989 in Maine said the law has made a difference.
“The biggest thing is the law set up a bunch of hoops state managers have to
jump through in order to justify the contracting-out of state jobs. The law has
made a significant difference in the number of private-sector contracts. Couched
with that, managers have to notify us of any contract in the excess of $15,000
in total or in the aggregate, so we get a review of 14 days prior to them being
able to continue with the contract,” Butterfield said.
For up to date information on the progress of the bill in New York, check the
PEF Web site at www.pef.org and click on
political action.
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The Communicator May 2007
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