PEFtakesbudgetcase
BySHERRYHALBROOK
PEFmemberswerenotsingledoutfor
anylayoffsorotherdirecthitsinthe
agreementreachedbetweenthegovernor
andstatelegislativeleaderstoclosethe
$1.6billionbudgetdeficitforthecurrent
fiscalyearthatendsMarch31.
“Thatpackageofnewtaxes,feesand
SUNYtuitionhikeswillhitPEFmembers
tothesameextentasotherNewYorkers,”
saidPEFPresidentKenBrynien.“Our
membersarereadytoshoulderthat
commonburden.
“Whatweobjecttoverystrongly,”he
said,“aretheunfairproposalstomake
BETTERWAY—PEFPresidentKenBrynien,flankedbyDirectorofLegislationand
stateemployeespayforamuchbiggerpart
CounselBrianCurranandDirectorofCivilServiceEnforcementTomCetrino,tellsstate
thananyoneelseofthe$13billionstate
legislatorshowcuttingcostlyconsultantswouldbebetterthancut
budgetdeficitforthe2009-10fiscalyear
—
tin
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e
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llard
thatstartsApril1.”
ThegovernorexpectsPEFmembersto
equivalenttoa65percenttaxhikeforthe
Rich, powerful, privileged
giveuptheir3percentpayraiseforthis
averagestateworker.
“Noonedisputesthestatehasan
year,forgoaweek’spay,paymorefor
“Thesearehugesacrificesonalevel
enormousdeficittoovercome,”Brynien
healthcareandshoulderheavierwork
thatnooneelseisbeingaskedtomake,”
said.“Unfortunately,thegovernor’s
loads.Healsointendstolayoffsomeof
Bryniensaid.“Theunfairnessis
choosingtoignorethetwoelephantsinthe
them.
staggering.
room:taxinequityandcostlyconsultants.
Theproposedsalaryandbenefitcuts
“Theproposalstowithholdemployees’
“Thegovernorrefusestomake
wouldcosttheaveragestateemployeeand
payandtakeawayraisesguaranteedin
millionairesandbigbusinessespaytheir
manyretireesinexcessof$2,800thisyear,
contractsareclearlyillegal,”Bryniensaid.
fairshareofstatetaxes,”Bryniensaid.
“Thecourtsruledsimilaractionstakenby
“Taxjusticeisnotonlyanobviousfiscal
Gov.MarioCuomowere
necessity,it’sobviouslytherightthingto
illegal.”
do.”
Sofar,PEFhasgrieved
Currently,householdswithincomesof
thegovernor’sproposalsto
morethan$600,000payabout6.5percent
violatethecontract.Ifthe
oftheirincomeinstateandlocaltaxes,
staterenegesonits
whilethemiddleclasspaysabout12
contractualcommitments,
percent.
PEFisreadytotakeitscase
Recently,120economistsfrom
tothecourts.
throughoutthestatewrotetothegovernor,
makingaclearargumentforamore
Telling truth to power
progressivetaxpolicy.
InFebruary,Brynienand
Raisingtheincometaxrateonthose
otherstateemployeeunions
withhighincomeswouldraisebetween$3
tooktheircallforbudget
billionand$7billionayeartohelpplug
fairnessdirectlytothestate
thestatedeficit.
legislativecommitteeshearing
Notonlyhasthegovernorpulledhistax
publiccommentonthebudget.
punchesagainsttherichestandmost
Brynientestifiedathearingsonthe
powerfulNewYorkers,healsowould
budgettaxproposals,workforceissuesand
continueawardingwastefulprivate
anagencymerger.
consultingcontractsthatstuffthepockets
DozensofPEFactivistsmetwiththe
ofmanyofthosesamewell-heeled
legislativeleadersofkeycommitteesto
interests.
discussbudgetissues.Membersalso
Thestatespendsnearly$3billiona
confrontedthegovernoratlocalpublic
yearonconsultantcontracts.Itpaysan
meetingsonthebudget.AndPEFranTV
averageof54percentmoreperindividual
andnewspaperadsspotlightingthemost
consultantthanitpaysperstateemployee
short-sightedandunfairbudgetproposals.
todothesamework,evenincludingthe
RAWDEAL—AssemblyMemberJoe
Theunionbuiltcoalitionswithmanyother
costofstateemployeebenefits.
GigliothanksPEFmemberDonnaHarris
laborandcommunityorganizations
Manycontractsrequirethestatetopay
forhercommentsonproposalstocancel
aroundbudgetissues.(Seerelatedarticles
annual5percentraisesforthose
the2009payraiseandwith
andphotos,pages4-6.)
consultants.
Page4—TheCommunicato
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