Statesstruggling,morefederalhelpneeded
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By KENNETH BRYNIEN thestateandlocallevels.
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Evenastheeconomy’sdownward Recently,Iwasinvitedtoameeting
spiralbeginstoslow,taxrevenues withPresidentObama’seconomic
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continuetodeclineandbudgetdeficitsare advisors.Theyindicatedanotherstimulus
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growinginvirtuallyeverystate. programisunderconsideration.They
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Statebudgetdeficitsacrossthecountry soughtourcommentsontheeffectiveness
willreachorexceed$215billionforthe ofthecurrentstimulusprogram.
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2009-10fiscalyear,roughly$700for PEF’smessagewas,andis,that
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everyman,womanandchildinthe althoughthenationaleconomyshows
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country,andcurrent-fiscal-yearshortfalls somepositivesigns,statesaresuffering
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totaling$26billionhavealreadyopened undercrushingdeficitsandneedmore
upin13statesincludingNewYork.Our help.That’swhatwe’retellingourstate M
Legislaturewillreconvenesoontodeal leadersandit’swhatourinternational
withashortfallof$2.1billioninthe
MAKINGAPOINT—PEFPresidentKen
affiliatesaretellingCongress. E
currentfiscalyear.
Brynienspeakstostaffandunionleaders
AlthoughIsoundlikeabrokenrecord
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regardingthestate’sfiscalconditionand
thechallengesfacingus,wehaveachieved A
consequencestothosewhorelyonpublic York’srecoverylaggingbehindthe othervictories. We’vestoppedthe
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servicesandtothosewhoprovidethem. nation’s,muchofthestate’sstimulus relocationofthestate’sfoodlaband
PEFwillcontinueworkingtokeepour moneygone,andtaxrevenuesdeclining, passedbillsintheLegislature,including
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members’jobs,wagesandbenefitssecure. increasedfederalaidwillbecritical. somethatincreaseaccountabilityin
Wewillcontinuetourgethestateto Asthecountryworksitswayoutofthe contractingbypublicauthorities.
reduceitscostlyrelianceonconsultants economiccrisis,wewillcontinueto Oursuccessonbudgetissuesandthe
toprovideservicesourmemberscan advocateforadditionalfederalassistance recognitionwehaveachievedstatewide
provideforless. tohelpaddressthefiscalcrisesthestates andnationallybodewellforsuccessaswe
However,althoughthatwould arefacingandtoreducetheneedfor facethecontinuingchallengesofthe
representsignificantsavings,withNew economy-sappingjobandservicecutsat nationaleconomiccrisis.
PEF court win blocks move to make
medical professionals non-competitive
BySHERRYHALBROOK court,”hesaid. thousandsoffuturePEFmemberswhose
APEFwininAlbanyCountySupreme The29titlesDCSreclassifiedinMarch layoffrightsandpromotionopportunities
Courthasblockedamovebythestate 2008tonon-competitivewerealllicensed wouldbeseriouslydiminished,”Kingsaid.
DepartmentofCivilServicetoswitch29 andcertifiedmedicalprofessionalpositions, Inhisdecision,Teresisaid,“While(this)
statemedicaljobtitlestonon-competitive. includingphysicians,psychiatrists,dentists proceedingislimitedtothesubject29titles,
“Mostimportantly,JudgeJosephC. andveterinarians.Itaffectednearly1,700 denialof(PEF’s)petitionwouldbelikelyto
Teresirecognizedthedangerthatlettingthe filledpositions,aswellasmanyvacancies. havebroadimplications,justifying
stategetawaywiththisswitchcouldpry DCSclaimed: reclassificationofessentiallyalllicensedand
openthedoortocronyismandawholesale •Competitiveexamsareredundantsince certifiedprofessionalsinthecivilserviceof
raidonalllicensedandcertifiedprofessional employeesinthesetitlesmusthave thisstate.”
titlesthroughoutstateservice,”saidPEF advanceddegreesandalicenseor Teresibasedhisdecisiontooverturnthe
PresidentKenBrynien.“JudgeTeresi‘gotit’ certification; reclassificationsonthestateconstitution’s
andheslammedthatdoorwithabang.” •Competitivetestingneedlesslydelays “preferenceforcompetitiveclassificationas
“Wesawthereclassificationofthesetitles hiringandhindersrecruitment;and ‘areflectionofourcitizens’insistencethat
bytheDCSasaseriousthreattothemerit- •Trainingandexperienceexamsaddno competence,ratherthancronyism,should
and-fitnessstandardandthefair valuableinformationforassessing determinecivilserviceappointments’and
competitioncalledforbythestate applicants’abilities,meritorfitnessfor ‘becauseitprovides,presumably,an
constitution,”saidPEFGeneralCounsel positions. objectiveandverifiablemeasurementofthe
WilliamSeamon.“Wetriedtostopitwhenit “Thatrationalecouldbeextendedto candidates’merit.’”
camebeforethestateCivilService justifythereclassificationtonon- Teresifoundthestatesubmittednoproof
Commission,andlaterwhenitwenttothe competitiveofalllicensedandcertified tojustifychangingitslongstandingpolicyof
governorforhisapproval.Althoughthey professionalsinthestate’scompetitive applyingatrainingandexperience
turneddeafears,JusticeTeresiheardus. class,”saidDeputyGeneralCounselLisa examinationtocompetitivelyrank
Hesawthethreatplainlyandheblockedit.” King. candidatesforthetitles.Hesaidthestate’s
However,Seamoncautionedthismay “Thatwouldposeanextremethreatto ownjobdescriptionsclearlyindicatework
notbetheendofthisbattle.“Whileweare theintegrityandprofessionalismofthese experienceisamajorfactorinassessing
verypleasedwiththisdecision,we keypositionsthroughoutstateservice,and candidates.
recognizethestatemayappealittoahigher itcouldendangerthejobsecurityof
www.pef.org TheCommunicatorSeptember2009—Page7
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