State budget unsettled
despitebuyouts,attrition
ByDEBORAHA.MILES
AsofSeptember14,only1,089state Thetrade-offwiththestatewasforthe
Nowthestatehasseentheoutcomeof
employeeswereapprovedforthebuyouts, unionsnottoopposePaterson’sproposal
thebuyoutprogram,thegovernorand
lessthanaquarterofthe4,500state toinstitutealess-generousTier5pension
legislatorswilldiscussthenecessary
officialshadinitiallyestimated. planfornewemployees.
tacticsforclosingthe$2.1billionbudget
Thestateshouldsave$260.3million “OurconcernnowisforthePEF
deficitforthisyear.
overtwoyearsthroughacombinationof memberswhosoughtbuyouts,butwere
Ameetingwasscheduledforlate
severancepayments,attritionandthe refused.Ourotherconcern,adouble-
September.Itislikelythebuyoutprogram
eliminationoffundedvacancies,according edgedsword,istofighttosavestatejobs.
willremainahottopicasbudgetofficials
tothestateDivisionofBudget. Withmorethana$2billionstatebudget
saytheyareinfavorofurgingstate
ThebuyoutplanwascraftedafterPEF, deficit,wemustraiseredflagstoprotect
agenciestooffermorebuyouts.
theCivilServiceEmployeesAssociation againstunwantedlayoffsandtosecure
Employeeswhohavealreadyaccepted
andthegovernoragreedonhowtostop stateservices,”Bryniensaid.
thebuyoutmustleaveemploymentby
thethreatenedlayoffsof8,700state Toaccomplishthis,thePEFWebsite
November11.Ifmorebuyoutsare
workers. hasasectionwherestateemployeescan
approved,thedateforthoseemployeesto
signuptoshowtheirinterestingetting
leavethestatepayrollwill
thebuyoutortovoluntarilyreducetheir
likelychange.
workweek.PEFwillsharethis
informationwithstatebudgetofficials.
“IthasbeenPEF’sroleformorethana
decadetoinvestigateandsharewiththe
statewaystosavetaxpayerdollars.The
focusneedstobeontheover-pricedand
unnecessaryuseofconsultants,”Brynien
said.“Thestatecouldsave$730million
overthreeyearsbyeliminatingcostly
consultantsandreplacingthemwithstate
employees.
“It’surgentforCongresstopassfurther
financialassistancetothestatesnolater
thantheendofFebruaryandthatNew
Yorkgetatleast$5billion,”Bryniensaid.
“It’salsotimetousethe$1billionin
thestate’sTaxStabilizationFundto
reducethebudgetgap.Weneedtouse
thisrainy-dayfundnow.
“Thestatealsoshouldconsider
extendingthesalestaxtocertainservices
purchasedbyconsumersandinstitutinga
stocktransfertaxonmarketspeculators.”
Forfurtherupdatesonthestate
budget,visitthePEFWebsite.
PEF-endorsedcandidates1-1inmayoralprimaries
NewYorkcityComptrollerWilliamC. CoreyEllisinhisuphillbidtounseat Partyline.
ThompsonJrwontheDemocraticParty fellowDemocrat,MayorJerryJennings. PEF’sendorsementsofthetwo
nominationformayoroftheBigApplein AlthoughEllislosttheSeptember candidateswereguidedbytheunion’s
theSeptember15primary.Hehandily primaryracefortheDemocraticlineon politicalactioncommittees:theRegion10
defeatedNYCityCouncilmanTonyAvella. theNovemberballot,hetrailedJennings and11PACSinNewYorkcity,andthe
PEFendorsedThompsonintherace byjust1,644votes,afarnarrowermargin Region8PACinAlbany.
thatwillpithimagainsttheincumbent thanexpected. Ifyouwouldliketovolunteerto
mayor,billionaireRepublicanMichael Ellis,whowonsevenofthecity’s15 supportoneofthesecampaigns,callyour
Bloomberg,intheNovember3general wardsintheDemocraticprimary,is regionalPEFofficeorthePEFLegislative
election. expectedtocontinuehiscampaignasa Officeat(518)432-4003.
PEFalsoendorsedAlbanyCouncilman candidateontheWorkingFamilies – Sherry Halbrook
Page12—TheCommunicatorOctober2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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