PEF to Obama: Send more stimulus $$
By SHERRY HALBROOK expect it will. Also, 29 percent reported the potentially leading to a ‘double dip’
Last year, President Obama asked a stimulus had preserved or created jobs in recession, as occurred in the early 1980s.”
group of leaders from the Service their communities, and 7 percent believed Brynien went on to cite two national
Employees International Union (SEIU) to it would help their local economies in the studies that estimated nearly 600,000
check and let him know if the federal future. public employees were furloughed in the
stimulus funding was helping their The agencies in which PEF members 2009-10 fiscal year and projected state
members and communities. identified a positive effect from the deficits would top $140 billion.
PEF President Ken Brynien was one of stimulus were: the Departments of “Most economists project state budgets
those SEIU leaders and, in August, he Housing and Community Renewal, Health, will continue to be affected by drops in tax
posed Omaba’s question to the PEF Transportation, Labor and the Office of revenues between 12 and 24 months after
Executive Board. In November, Brynien Parks and Recreation and the Office of an economic recession has ended,”
sent a summary of those responses to Dr. Temporary and Disability Assistance. Brynien wrote.
Jared Bernstein, deputy assistant to the “Our deepest concern is that, as the “For the nearly 60,000 members I
president on economic policy. economy begins to recover, the tax represent, it means many will continue to
PEF’s message: It’s helping, but it’s not revenues needed by the state will not grow face continued job cuts until as late as
enough. Keep it coming. fast enough to compensate for the loss of October 2011, well after the ARRA funds
“When asked about the impact the stimulus funding,” the PEF leader added. are depleted. I encourage you to seriously
ARRA (stimulus funding) has had on their The threat to New Yorkers is very real, consider a second stimulus program
agencies, on the whole, my union leaders Brynien said. directed to state and municipal
across state agencies indicate that in “The specter of tens of thousands of governments to help them weather the
many it has saved jobs and in others it layoffs and job losses in state and local revenue shortfalls prior to the recovery of
has not yet made an impact,” Brynien governments, should the stimulus funds tax receipts.”
wrote. run out before tax revenues recover, could Since PEF sent this letter in November,
Brynien said 35 percent of PEF board have a devastating effect on state services, Gov. Paterson has balanced his 2010-11
members reported the stimulus funding not just in New York, but across the state budget proposal on the assumption
had created or preserved jobs at their nation. It could lead to additional job cuts New York would get $1.06B in new federal
agencies and another 9 percent said they and threaten a fragile economic recovery, stimulus funding.
New PEF E Board
tackles broad
range of issues
By SHERRY HALBROOK
Robert Reynolds was appointed the federal stimulus funding was or was not
and MEGHAN ALLEN
board’s new sergeant-at-arms. affecting operations at their state agencies.
PEF’s regional coordinators and
Board members Kevin Kallin, Gale PEF has since analyzed those comments
members of its PEF Executive Board
Baptiste-Graham and Dan Steen were from the board members and reported it in
elected to three-year terms in the summer
elected to serve on the advisory committee a letter to President Barack Obama. (See
of 2009 were given the oath of office at the
to the PEF Political Action Committee. related story this page.)
board’s first meeting following the
PEF President Ken Brynien reported on PEF Secretary-Treasurer Arlea Igoe
elections. It was held August 13 and 14 in
the state’s mounting budget deficit and reported how state budget cuts in 2009
Albany.
described how the union was preparing had affected PEF members.
The board voted to endorse two city
facts and data for distribution to state Igoe agreed to investigate how the
mayoral candidates for the November 2009
legislators, the governor and the news greater use of new technologies and social
elections: William Thompson in New York
media on the savings the state could networking sites might improve PEF
and Corey Ellis in Albany.
achieve by reducing its reliance on private communications or reduce expenses. Igoe
The board also debated and amended
consultants, and by full staffing to reduce said PEF’s Web site soon would be
the proposed PEF federal and state
overtime. redesigned.
legislative agendas for presentation to the
At Brynien’s request, the board (Minutes of the meetings are posted on
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