Now, more than ever,
PEF needs your involvement
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By KENNETH BRYNIEN
“casino” capitalism that has driven the
The proposed state Executive Budget
country and the state to the brink of
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for 2010-11 continues a decade-long
financial disaster. I will not allow our jobs,
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trend of whittling away at the state work
wages and benefits to be sacrificed on the
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force and the state services our members
altar of misinformed public opinion.
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provide. It also includes a quarter-of-a-
The facts speak for themselves. Despite
billion-dollar cut in funding for
a growing need for the services our
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“negotiated” concessions, identified in the
members provide, the state has eliminated
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proposal, with which we cannot and will
an average of 105 employees every work
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not agree.
week since March 2008. In constant
UNITY—PEFPresidentKenBrynien
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Our job of protecting the work force
dollars, the amount spent on state
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speaksatOgdensburgcommunitymeeting
and services our members provide, as well
employee wages has fallen over the last 20
inlateJanuary. — Photo by Lisa Pulver M
as the gains in wages and benefits we
years. We are doing much more with
deserve and have worked hard to achieve,
much less, and dollar-for-dollar provide that are a long term solution and will
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will be a daunting task.
the state’s citizens with value that most make the state more efficient and
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We all have seen the polls and
people don’t realize or understand. effective while still providing vital services
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editorials targeting the state work force.
We continue to propose solutions to the on which New York’s citizens rely.
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Pundits and commentators say public-
state’s fiscal crisis that can save the state We need your involvement now, more
employee unions are driving up the cost of
more than would damaging cuts to the than ever. Our union is only as strong as
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government and claim we have not
work force and our wages and the support of our
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sacrificed like private-sector employees.
benefits. We propose real members.
These commentators lay the blame for the
and recurring We need you to help us to
state’s fiscal crisis at our feet, not on the
savings respond to the attacks on our jobs,
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wages and the services we provide.
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Watchdog: Low staffing, funding jeopardize DEC
By SHERRY HALBROOK pollution or clean up hazardous waste,” year period; federal funding for
Understaffing is undercutting the said Alison Jenkins, fiscal policy director environmental programs declined by 25
ability of the state Department of of Environmental Advocates of New York. percent over the same period. And despite
Environmental Conservation (DEC) to "The DEC has already acknowledged that decreasing support, the federal
protect New Yorkers and their its solid and hazardous waste programs government establishes about 40 new
environment, and fulfill the agency’s have underperformed due to staff rules for states to adopt and implement
duties under state and federal law. shortages. What crisis needs to happen every year.
That’s the conclusion of a report issued before New York’s leaders get the When broken down by program area,
in November 2009 by Environmental message?” the DEC’s Air and Water Quality
Advocates of New York, an independent, “We share these concerns,” said PEF Management, Solid and Hazardous Waste
not-for-profit, environmental watchdog. President Ken Brynien. “Unfortunately, Management, and Administration and
According to research conducted by staffing and funding were not bolstered Operations programs all have seen
Environmental Advocates, “DEC no longer sufficiently at DEC when our economy declines in appropriations of up to 23.7
has sufficient resources to successfully was strong. Now, the state has its fiscal percent.
implement the state's environmental laws, back to the wall and our members at “Environmental Advocates of New York
and its operations are increasingly DEC, who are on the front lines every day is calling on state leaders to increase
supported by taxpayer dollars, rather than in the struggle to protect New Yorkers and polluter fees in next year's budget,”
polluter fees,” the group stated in a their air, water and other vital resources, Jenkins said. “The work of our primary
November 5 press release. are becoming spread too thinly. This could environmental agency can and should be
“New York State is neglecting its be a disaster waiting to happen.” more sustainable. By relying so heavily on
environmental responsibilities. Years of According to the report issued by taxpayer dollars, New York is missing out
static appropriations and short staffing Environmental Advocates: “When adjusted on golden opportunities to create
mean DEC no longer has the bodies or the for inflation, DEC’s operations budget incentives to reduce pollution and help
resources to safely monitor water grew by just over 1 percent during a five- the state achieve its environmental goals.”
www.pef.org TheCommunicatorMarch2010—Page7
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