| Supplemental bills may be
coming Legislature passes ‘bare-bones’ budget By SHERRY HALBROOK The state Legislature passed a so called “bare bones” or “baseline” state budget in the wee hours of August 3 that lawmakers say will keep the state  running. But this budget does
not resolve any of the more contentious issues that have
blocked agreement on a full budget for 2001-02.PEF fiscal analysts say preliminary reviews of the budget indicate it should be able to sustain all PEF-represented positions through the end of the fiscal year next March 31. However, PEF President Roger Benson cautions that while funding to support most state jobs is higher than in last year’s budget, “in many instances, the appropriations are less than the governor proposed.” “This budget does not resolve some important issues raised by PEF, such as the need to add parole officers and transportation engineers,” Benson says. “In addition, we are concerned about positions funded under capital-project appropriations and federal grants, which may not be in the budget passed by the Legislature.” Under the wire Legislators in both parties pushed the $79.6 billion package through before August 4 because that is the previous record for the latest NYS budget ever. They also needed to get basic school-aid appropriations out to school districts before school-property-tax rates were set and bills mailed to property owners. Although it’s more than four months past its due date of April 1, this budget is still a “premie,” weighing in at $4 billion less that the governor’s Executive Budget proposal and even further below the level that the legislators wanted. That’s why the lawmakers hope to pass supplemental budget bills by September 15 to provide for improved or new programs. According to PEF’s top fiscal analyst, Tom Cetrino, the basic budget provides little authorization or funding for any new initiatives and removes or severely underfunds many important and popular local assistance and capital programs, such as school aid and the Environmental Protection Fund. In addition, it does not authorize or fund any of the governor’s initiatives and provides only a $4,100 appropriation for the Urban Development Corporation, cutting that budget by $243.6 million. “The legislators hope this will motivate the governor to negotiate with them on additions to the baseline budget,” Cetrino says. Sept. 15 deadline “We are also concerned about the need to reappropriate money left over in the state Transportation Department’s engineering-services fund and some other budget categories from last year,” Benson says. “If they aren’t reappropriated by September 15, they return to the state’s general fund and it’s uncertain how they would be redistributed then.” Cetrino says he has identified $8.19 billion in funds for state operations that were not reappropriated in the budget. These also include some joint funds set aside under the PS&T contract, including money for the Public Service Training Program He says the enacted budget does not significantly cut spending for “personal services” in any state agency’s budget. When it does cut them, it’s usually for new positions. “We are working with the NYS AFL-CIO to pressure the governor and Legislature to negotiate a supplemental budget that will address more of our specific needs,” Benson says. The Communicator Home Page |
PEF calls
for state to support Superfund PEF is calling on the Legislature and governor
to properly refinance the state Superfund, which provides
for identification and cleanup of major pollution sites. |