Stateagenciescuttinganother
BySHERRYHALBROOK millionfromwhatisleftoftheirbudget reductiontargetsfortheOfficeofMental
Facedwithamid-yearbudgetdeficit allocationsforthecurrentfiscalyear. Health,OfficeofMentalRetardationand
thathasnowballoonedto$3 That’s11percentoftheirbudgets DevelopmentDisabilitiesandtheOfficeof
billion,inmid-October,Gov. fornon-personal-servicesspending AlcoholismandSubstanceAbuseServices.
DavidPatersonannounced suchasequipment,travel,supplies Inaddition,thespendingcuttargetfor
spendingcutsandotherfiscal andmaterials,andcontracts theHigherEducationServicesCorporation
measurestotalling$5billionover includingthoseforconsultant contains$11millioninnon-personal
twoyears. services. servicecutsanda$25millioncutachieved
AlthoughPatersondescribed “We’reencouragedthegovernor throughadelayinspendingassociated
thesituationasdireandsaidhe isintentonfindingotherwaysto withtheNewYorkHigherEducationLoan
personallyfindshisspending savethanbysimplycuttingstate Program(NYHELPs),becausetheprogram
cuts“indescribablypainful,”the workers,”saidPEFPresidentKen isnotexpectedtoexpendthe$50million
governorsaidhewastryingto Brynien.“Thestatecanachieve appropriatedforitsoperation.
avoidanylayoffsofstateorlocal muchofthe$500millionincurrent-year Thegovernorrenewedhiscallforstate
governmentemployees. agencyspendingreductionsbysetting legislatorstopassbothabillcreatinga
StateBudgetDirectorRobertMegna specificagencytargetstocuttheuseof newpensionTier5forpublicemployees
reinforcedthatintention,sayingtheplanis consultants.” hiredinthefuture,andabillimposinga
“designedtominimizeanystatelayoffs.” Thegovernoralsocalledforcutting caponannualstatebudgetspending.
Thegovernoralsoruledoutanynewor currentlocalassistanceaidby$1.3billion, Paterson’sproposalwouldlimitannual
increasedtaxesandherefusedtotapinto orapproximately10percent. increasesinappropriationsforstate
thestate’s“rainy-day”fund,sayingit Accordingtoinformationfromthestate operatingfundstotheaverageinflation
shouldbeusedonlytorespondtomassive DivisionofBudgetinearlyOctober,ithas rateoverthepreviousthreeyears.
catastrophes,suchasnaturaldisasters. exemptedstateagencyoperationsbudgets AlthoughPatersonsteeredhiscost-
fromcutsinboththestateandfederal savingeffortsawayfromlayoffs,PEF
Agenciesface11%cuts sharesofMedicaidreimbursablefunding. membersatmanystateworksitesare
Stateagenciesweredirectedtocut$500 Thisresultsinmuchsmallerspending findingthespendingcutsandintra-agency
Waystosavestatemoney
ByDEBORAHA.MILES wastetotransferinmatesfromone
AtPEF’s31stAnnualConventionin facilitytoanother.
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Outof464suggestions,morethanhalf employees,sayingthequalityofthe
ofthedelegatespointedtoconsultantuse, orientationwaspoorandresultedinan
sayingstateworkerscandothejobfora increasedturnoverofstaff.
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manyofourmembersrecognizethiswaste amountofpaperbeingwasted,howpeople
showsusourmessageisbeingsupported. ofdeputycommissioners. printoutalltheire-mails,duplicate
Weneedourmemberstohelppinpoint Andonedelegatesaid,“Therehave paperworkandwastealargeamountof
whereconsultantusecanbeeliminatedor been10politicalappointeesstatewide moneyonpostage.
reduced.” thatactasthecommissioner’sgo- “Let’susemoreeconomicaltechnology
Aboutaquarterofthesuggestionssaid betweensatthestateDepartmentof forcommunication”wasanothermessage
thestatehirestoomanyretireesas Labor.Theyareeachearning$100,000. tothestate.
consultants.Someofthemgetpaidtwice That’smorethanamilliondollars Lackofenergyconservationalso
asmuchforthesamejobtheyperformed wasted.” croppedup.Somepeoplesaidtheair
asastateemployee. Travelofnurseswasanotherarea conditioningisturnedonoristoocold
Delegatesalsotargetedcommissioners wheredelegatesfeltthestatecouldsave whennotneeded.
andtheirstaffandvehicleuse. money.Manysuggestionssaidthestate Andmanyfeltthereshouldbea
Onesuggestionsaid,“All shouldexaminebetterwaysfornurses reductioninthenumberofpeopleholding
commissionersshouldbelocatedinAlbany andotherhealthcareworkersto managementpositions.
toreducetravelcosts.Theyalsoneedto consolidatehomevisitstoonearea, “PEFextendsitsthankstoeveryone
cutbackontheircars.Ourshasthree.” insteadofhavingthemtravelacrossthe whoofferedasuggestion,”Bryniensaid.
Anothersaid,“Firecommissionerswho statetoserviceasingleindividual. “Theoneswecanverifywillbeinareport
don’tlistentothegovernor.” AdelegatefromthestateDepartment andsenttothegovernorbeforethenew
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PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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