LOCAL VIEW — PEF Pres. Roger Benson, Reg. 12 Coord. Dee Dodson and PAC Chair Sal Casciola talk in Oct. with Assembly Member Steve Levy about his campaign for Suffolk County exec. — Photo by Bill Bennett

Pride in our accomplishments, fights for the future

By ROGER E. BENSON
As we near the end of another year and the beginning of a new one, we need to pause and reflect on the past year’s events and accomplishments, and look to the challenges we will be facing next year.

The past year was dominated by the state’s fiscal crisis — we faced the largest state budget deficit since the Great Depression. However, before the state budget was even introduced, PEF began sounding the drumbeat of shared sacrifice, planting the seeds and building the coalitions that would be necessary to prevail in the budget fight.

PEF identified a solution to the expected cuts and introduced a proposal that would capture a small portion of the federal tax cut windfall New York’s wealthiest taxpayers were receiving and would close corporate loopholes.

We were prepared when the state budget was introduced in January, calling for the closures of Elmira, Hutchings, and Middletown Psychiatric Centers, the Institute for Basic Research, as well as the privatization of SUNY hospitals and OCFS youth facilities, and the consolidation of the Nathan Kline and New York Psychiatric Institute research centers.

Our members stood ready to fight these misguided efforts, and created through mobilization, political activism and public relations, enough pressure to stop virtually all of the cuts. We achieved the largest budget restorations in state history. We also achieved the long sought after contract gain of sick leave parity within the PS&T bargaining unit and we did it by being proactive, militant, mobilized, and politically active.

There are still many threats to our members remaining from last year, including cuts in OMH and OMRDD, layoffs in Oswego County, potential layoffs in OCFS and “transformation” at DOT. In 2004, the state faces another fiscal crisis, and we face more threats to the vital services that we provide the citizens of New York, as well as our continuing struggle for a fair contract.

We have already begun our planning by identifying wasteful spending on privatization and costly consultants through our “Cut State Waste, Not State Workers” campaign. We have outlined a strategy to continue to bring more equity to New York’s tax structure and close additional corporate loopholes, and are working with the state AFL-CIO to again bring pressure to bear on the state’s political leaders to make the right choices for New York.

We have increased our grassroots political staff, division mobilization, and we will work to continue to elect political leaders who support the services and programs PEF members provide, and take on those leaders who do not understand the need and value of high quality public services.

As much as we plan and prepare, we cannot succeed without your help. We owe our success over the past year to your efforts, and will need your continued involvement to meet the challenges that we are sure to face in 2004.

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Inside This Issue
Features
PEF activists boost Gunther campaign
Join campaign to defeat Bush
Save your retirement while you can
PEF E-Board backs Dean for prez
Union stops threats to fed job services
tate wildlife pathologist do battle
Fighting privatization of youth services

Departments
President's Message: Pride in our goals
You Said It: Member's letters this month
Member Mobilization: OMRDD fights
Nurses' Station: Protect patients, & you
Contact Update: Members’ support helps
Health Benefits: HMOs rates up for ’04
Retirees: Ferraro sets the bar
Members In Action: Fight back thanks
PEF Membership Benefits &Travel Corp

Union Matters
Kehoskie new Region 4 coordinator
Inmates fake taking their meds
Members honor fallen parole officers
Jan. is financial aid awareness month
DeBow scholarship forms ready in spring
Parole officers honor founding member
PEF E- Board Report: August summery
Agency-fee procedure / Audit Report

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