Solid
public support gave them courage
Lawmakers
override all 119 budget vetoes
 By
SHERRY HALBROOK
PEF’s intense lobbying and public advocacy on the
state budget paid off in late May when state legislators
in both houses stood up to the governor and overrode all
119 of his vetoes.
Thanks to these overrides, funding was restored to keep
all of the state research and psychiatric centers open
and running. The state Transportation Department now has
funding for highway maintenance engineering. Whether the
department will use state engineers or hire more costly
private consultants remains to be seen.
The legislators had already given a cold shoulder to the
governor’s proposals for privatizing the state
University of New York’s three teaching hospitals,
and removing the state Library, Museum and Archives from
the state Education Department. And the Legislature
blocked his proposals to hike the state employees’
and retirees’ shares of their health insurance
premiums.
The lawmakers made sure the state would have the money
for these and other spending measures by standing behind
their decision to close two corporate tax loopholes and
temporarily raise the state tax on personal income above
$100,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for couples
filing jointly.
 PEF
worked for every penny
“These budget overrides were the first in decades
and it took real commitment and courage on the part of
the legislators, especially the Republicans, to do what
we had convinced them was the right thing, in spite of
intense pressure from the governor to side with him in
this fiscal power struggle,” said PEF President
Roger Benson.
“We accomplished more in this year’s budget
battle than ever before,” Benson said. “We
succeeded because we mobilized quickly and effectively,
and because we had already built strong foundations of
trust with the legislators.
“Our political activists have worked for years to
educate the lawmakers about state services. And when the
Executive Budget proposed to devastate many state
facilities and programs, thousands of PEF members
responded with intensive letter and petition campaigns,
rallies, press conferences and community leadership.
“Our leaders mobilized this tremendous effort very
quickly and the legislators responded, because we
convinced them that it was the right thing to do and we
showed that we had built solid public support for it in
their Senate and Assembly districts,” Benson added.
 Keep your eyes on the ball
As gratifying as the restorations and overrides are,
Benson cautioned the state’s fiscal position is
still precarious and is likely to be equally or more
challenging next year. So, PEF is watching to see if the
state Division of Budget cuts more state jobs and
spending.
The DOB said it expects to issue a “financial
management plan” for the state in July. And the
governor has suggested that the constitutionality of some
spending and tax measures enacted by the Legislature over
his veto might be challenged in court.
“Our work is not done,” Benson
said. “So far, everything is going well. But we
need every member’s eyes and ears to help us monitor
their worksites.
“Alert your PEF field representative and elected
leaders immediately if you spot the state closing
hospital wards, moving large numbers of clients to other
facilities, changing admissions or discharge policies, or
cutting, transferring or reassigning staff.
“We all worked much too hard for this to let our
accomplishments be undone now,” Benson added.
Thank your legislators
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Inside This Issue:
Features
Lawmakers override all 119
budget vetoes
Set state safety, security
standard
Thank your legislators
Departments
President's Message:Our work
continues
You Said It: Member's
letters this month
PS&T Contract Update:
Pay hikes hot topic
Member Highlights;Keeping up
the good fight
Retirees In Action: New
officers take the reins
PEF Membership Benefits
Program & Travel Corp
Nurses' Station:
- Derail unsafe staffing, put
laws on the fast track
- Roswell Park honors nurses
- Nurses conference addresses
timely topics
Legislative Action:
- Union presses lawmakers on
contracting out
- Legislature passes 11 bills
PEF supports
- Don’t let feds
shortchange NY
Health Benefits:
- Feds aim to guard your
privacy
- College students need shot
in arm
- HMO applied wrong rule for
disabled kids
Union Matters
PEF, OASAS train workers for
emergencies
EAP Coordinator earns
Quality Service Award
Making state park system a
summer delight
Pre-Tax Transit pilot put on
hold
Balloting brings 13
newcomers to E-Board
Convention 2003: Delegate
preview
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