By SHERRY HALBROOK
State lawmakers and the governor cleared the last obstacle to agreement on the state budget in early May.
According to Brian Curran, PEF’s legislative director, and Tom Cetrino, the union’s top fiscal analyst, a preliminary review of the funding bills shows PEF has prevailed on many of its most important budget issues.
The Legislature killed the governor’s proposal to merge a wide variety of state departments and agencies into a single Department of Justice — a proposal PEF testified was ill advised and unnecessary.
The lawmakers also turned thumbs down on two mergers proposed by the governor for the state Education Department (SED).

His proposal to transfer responsibility for the state Library, Museum and Archives to the state Council on the Arts drew a cold reception from legislators.
And they were no more enthusiastic about merging SED’s Office of Higher and Continuing Education with the state Office of Professions.
Both houses united on funding a full restoration of shared staffing between the state Office of Mental Health (OMH) and county mental-health programs.

“We will still have to watch this issue closely,” Curran said, “because some key lawmakers say a plan may be proposed to phase out shared staffing gradually over the next three years.”
And the legislators nixed the governor’s plan to shift appointing authority at OMH from facility directors to the regional level — a move that was strongly opposed by PEF.
While both houses agreed to spend more for engineering services at the state Transportation Department, the bills that passed did not include an Assembly proposal to require the state Transportation Department to hire more state engineers and fewer consulting engineers.

The lawmakers tried adding a similar requirement last year, but the Division of Budget refused to lift the hiring freeze to fill the positions.
PEF has consistently fought for this shift away from DOT’s expensive privatization habit — a position historically supported by lawmakers and state comptrollers from both parties.
But governors of both parties have persisted in privatizing these state services.

“While we are never able to get every single item we hope for, PEF can be very proud of how effective we have become in presenting our case to the Legislature” said PEF Vice President Ken Brynien.
“This budget reflects the growing respect PEF enjoys among state lawmakers and their readiness to hear our concerns and views on state budget and policy issues,” he added.

HONORED – Cedric Lewis presents Grace Lott with a proclamation from the NYC Public Advocate.
— Photo by Olubiyi Sehindemi

Division 244 salutes PEF professionals

April 14 was a very special day at Brooklyn Developmental Disabilities Services Office.
PEF Division 244 hosted an all-day celebration in honor of its members who make up the professional staff at the office. At the same time, the division hosted its annual legislative reception, aimed at helping members meet their elected representatives face-to-face.

“This was our 17th annual Professional Day, and the 7th Annual Legislative Reception,” said Council Leader Grace Lott.
“We had about 100 people at our continental breakfast in the morning,” Lott said. But by noon, that number had swelled to 300 for the luncheon and afternoon ceremonies.
While the event focused on Division 244’s 220 members, they had lots of company.

Guests included PEF Secretary-Treasurer Jane Hallum, Vice Presidents Jean DeBow and Joe Fox, Region 11 Coordinator Pat Baker and Director of Field Services Downstate, Robert Jackson. Among the many political figures attending the legislative reception were US Representative Edolphus Towns, and state Assembly Members Earlene Hill Hooper, James Brennan, Clarence Norman Jr., Jeffrion Aubry, Barbara Clark, and William Frank Boyland.
New York City Council Member Traci Boyland was there, as was former PEF member Cedric A. Lewis, who is now community liaison for the NYC Office of the Public Advocate.
Other representatives of the community also attended.

“It was a very nice event,” Lott said. “We all owe a lot of thanks to the Division 244 Social Committee chaired by Carrie Saunders. Belvin Nottingham, James Pilcher and Richard Monck also serve on that committee.”
The dust had barely settled from the April event, when Division 244 stepped up to the plate again and batted in another home run with its annual Nurses Recognition Luncheon on May 3.

— Sherry Halbrook

Have suggestions for PEF’s 2001 Legislative Agenda?
Send concepts to: Vice President Ken Brynien
PEF
911 Butternut St.
Syracuse, NY 13208-2890
emailto: kbrynien@pef.org
by June 15, 2000

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