PEF tells lawmakers to keep psychiatric center open, stop privatization, close tax loopholes

By DENYCE DUNCAN LACY
Saying Gov. George Pataki’s proposed budget for 2004 “sacrifices services for the state’s most vulnerable citizens — the mentally ill” — PEF President Roger Benson last month urged lawmakers to restore funding to keep the Middletown Psychiatric Center open.

At a hearing on state workforce issues in Albany, Benson also called on state legislators to reject proposals to privatize the state’s three public hospitals in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse and to create a new “shadow” government agency for education, the NY Institute for Cultural Education. Benson said consolidating the state Education Department’s State Museum, State Library and State Archives into a new public benefit corporation would “put this new agency beyond the reach of public scrutiny.”

SAVE STATE SERVICES — PEF President Roger Benson tells state lawmakers to close tax loopholes and save state services. PEF Legislative Director Brian Curran joins Benson at the hearing. — Photo by John Epting

Services, jobs threatened
The budget proposes closing Middletown Psychiatric Center by the end of the year, and reinvesting half of the money that would be saved by the closure — $3.4 million — into community-based mental health services. Benson told lawmakers that funding level would leave psychiatric patients with inadequate services and would leave most of the state employees now working at the center out of jobs.

“We are concerned that providing only $3.4 million or half of the savings from the closure will not meet the needs of the mentally ill in the community, much less the needs of those deprived of local inpatient services … and half of the savings by our calculations will provide jobs for fewer than one-third of the of the nearly 300 state employees working at Middletown,” Benson testified.

And the union leader called on lawmakers to create a Long-Range Mental Health Planning Commission, rather than creating a Commission for the Closure of State Psychiatric Centers, as the governor proposed. 

Benson also criticized the Executive Budget for omitting details about the state’s plans to close three correctional facilities before the end of this fiscal year, and he asked lawmakers to ensure that unions and communities get adequate notice of plans to close state facilities. 

“We need you to enact legislation that would require the Executive Budget and state agencies to give a one-year notice before they close any state facility,” Benson said. “State agencies should also be required to develop a closure plan with the affected communities and employees.” 

Light up shadow agencies
The PEF president also urged lawmakers to pass legislation to limit shadow agencies and contracting out of public services, and to require corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. 

“We need you to approve PEF bills that call for an end to unaccountable shadow state agencies, require a cost-benefit analysis before a state agency enters into a contract for personal services and require that the Executive Budget disclose for each state agency the cost of all personal service contracts and number of private contractors,” Benson testified.
“And, finally, we ask you to ensure that this budget requires that every New Yorker pay his or her fair share. 

“Let’s not put this nearly $100 billion dollar budget on the backs of working families alone. Corporations have seen a 50 percent cut in their taxes in the past 25 years. They can help pay, too. The rest of us do.”

Communicator Homepage March 04

Inside This Issue
Features
PEF tells lawmakers to keep
Court rules grievance denial
Battle for Middletown Psych Center
PEF rejects state’s contract offer
Take the contract pledge
Saving Camp McGregor
Shadow agencies undercutting trust
Parole rule changes spark concerns

Departments
President's Message
Member's Mailbag
PS&T Contract Update
Nurses' Station
Member Mobilization
Health Notes
Retirees In Action
Back Cover Ad
PEF Membership Benefits &Travel

Union Matters
PEF victory allows Downstate nurses
State lagging to help its 9/11 ‘heroes’
Struggle to save members at OCFS
WTC recovery worker still sick, hurting
PEF political volunteers get out the vote
Nurses set Lobby Day for May 4
Mobilizer conference, workshops
Vacant PEF Board seat filled
Attention Veterans

Save these dates:
April 21-25
Somos El Futuro!
The annual weekend conference in Albany of the Caucus of NYS Hispanic and Puerto Rican Legislators
For more information, to volunteer, or make reservations for the reception, call Helen Brooks at the PEF Legislative Office, 1-800-724-4997.

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