Lawmakers add funds to support correctional, 2 youth facilities

VOICES HEARD — Members hold a rally at Pyramid Reception Center in the Bronx protesting plans to close the facility. Days later, funding to keep Pyramid open was restored.
                                                     — Photo by Richard Dillard

• Environment – A proposal to take $4 million from the state  Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to create and support a new Pollution Prevention Institute was reduced to $1 million. PEF opposed creating the new institute and argued the job should be kept within the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

• Urban development – Lawmakers refused to give the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) permanent authority to issue bonds (debts that must be repaid by taxpayers), but extended the temporary authority for one year.

• Parole – The Legislature appropriated $72,000 for a study of job stress among state parole officers. The money is going to the state Labor Department. The AFL-CIO Workforce Development Institute will do the study.

• Education – Lawmakers added $1.1 million to enhance the ability to check the fingerprints and possible criminal histories of prospective school employees.

Lawmakers rejected the proposal to “monetize” future revenues of the NYS Lottery, but they approved creating a NYS Higher Education Endowment. Funding, which will now come from public or private sources, will still be dedicated to the city University of NY (CUNY) and the state University of NY (SUNY).

• University hospitals – The addition of $2 million to expand nursing school capacity at SUNY may improve overall staffing levels at the three SUNY hospitals.

• Department of State – $3 million was eliminated for providing legal services assistance to local governments, including funds for 15 new staff.

• Tax collection – Legislators added $3.5 million for the state Department of Tax and Finance to hire more staff to enforce and collect taxes.

The state is counting on collecting $1.52 billion in new tax revenues this year, through a higher tax on cigarettes, by requiring Internet retailers to collect NYS sales tax and by increasing assessments on health insurance policies.

The Communicator Home Page
By SHERRY HALBROOK
PEF has succeeded in protecting members’ jobs and public programs in several important areas of the state budget.
The Legislature restored funding for all four state correctional facilities that would have closed this year under the Executive Budget proposal and for two of the five youth facilities slated for closing, merging or reduced capacity.

“We have scored some important victories in the very difficult budget process this year,” said PEF President Ken Brynien.

“It will be up to our PEF labor-management committees to stay on top of how the budgets are playing out at each state agency and worksite and keep us informed.”

The state Division of Budget is charged with making another $1 billion in cuts to spending by state agencies, which would translate to an across-the-board cut of approximately 3 percent.

For now, PEF is focused on the state budget passed in late March and early April. Highlights include the following:

• Corrections – Funding was restored to keep Hudson Correctional Facility, Camp Gabriels, Camp Pharsalia and Camp McGregor open. Closing them would have cost 541 state jobs, including 71 positions represented by PEF.

• Youth – Lawmakers added funds to keep Great Valley Residential Center and Pyramid Reception Center open for at least a year. Funds were not restored for the Lansing or Adirondack centers. The budget also funds a study of the effectiveness of state and privately operated services for troubled youths.

• Food safety – PEF vigorously opposed the elimination of 38 state food inspector positions, and $1.2 million was restored, which should sustain approximately 21 of those positions. Lawmakers also rejected a proposal to switch from annual to risk-based inspections of grocers and other food sellers.

• Transportation – Unfortunately, $7.5 million for 339 new positions at the state Department of Transportation was cut.

The loss was part of a $139.82 million cut in appropriations for the state’s Bridge Preservation Program. The funds were swept downstream by the rejection of a $15 increase in the auto insurance surcharge.

The Legislature refused to make single-audit provisions of the state Transportation Law permanent, but extended the program one year.

• Auditing – Lawmakers added $5 million for new staff and resources to allow the state comptroller to audit the abandoned property account.

• Mental health – Legislators added $1.5 million to fund 10 more research scientist positions and additional lab expenses at the Nathan Kline Institute.

• Health – Lawmakers rejected establishing a new provision for licensing lab technicians at Wadsworth Center Laboratories. They increased penalties on health care providers who violate health law or regulations.