Task force intensifies scrutiny of wasteful DOT spending

By DEBORAH A. MILES

For years, PEF has urged legislators to

take a closer look at the wasteful spending on engineering consultants at the state Department of Transportation (DOT). A state Senate Task Force on Government Efficiency has been listening, but is paying even more attention since the state is in a fiscal crisis. The task force held a public hearing

May 5 in Albany, where PEF Vice President Tom Comanzo testified. He told the panel, chaired by state Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein more than $84 million is being wasted annually at DOT due to excessive use of consultants for engineering and construction inspection. “According to the Governor’s Task

Force on Personal Services Contracting, DOT contracts out about 60 percent of its engineering work,” Comanzo said. “PEF is pleased to see the Senate task force also has taken up this issue.” Comanzo offered the panel of nine

senators ways to save between $55.6 million and $84.3 million annually by having state employees do 50 percent to 90 percent of the work currently done by expensive consultants. In a recent report, the Senate task

force found if DOT realized even 30 percent of PEF’s high-end savings

estimate, the department could save $24.1 million in engineering and engineering supervision costs, $10 million in construction-inspection costs, and $3.4 million in bridge-inspection costs. The task force also heard testimony

from DOT Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee and Thomas Cote, director of government relations at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). Sen. Diane J. Savino, D-Staten Island,

grilled Cote and an ACEC lobbyist, Bill McCarthy, about the actual amount consultant companies earned from DOT jobs. She said the task force is trying to figure out how to get more bang for the buck at DOT, and if the role of consultants has gotten too big. In its latest report, the task force

uncovered close to $60 million in potential cost-saving measures at DOT including PEF’s proposals, and outlined more than $210 million on contract cost overruns, expired and unfunded contracts and unnecessary changes to DOT specifications. Gee also was pummeled with questions

for more than two hours on numerous items of what the panel described as wasteful spending. Sen. Craig Johnson, D-Long Island,

asked Gee why DOT awards bids to multiple private contractors for deer- carcass removal, costing more than a $1 million annually. Gee’s response was

LOOKING FOR STATEWASTE— Sen.Diane Savino asks PEF leaders Lou Ferrone Jr, TomComanzo and Susan Stepp about the overuse of consultants at the state DOT at a hearing May 5 in Albany.

there are not enough DOT employees on call to get the job done in a timely manner. Even though it was pointed out by panel members that state employees can do the same work at a substantial cost-savings, Gee justified many of his responses by saying public safety should not be compromised by cost and that contractors have special skills. PEF Labor-Management Chair for DOT

Lou Ferrone Jr also answered questions. As a civil engineer 1 at DOT, he said sometimes consultant use at DOT is warranted, especially for short projects. But he also cited many areas where state employees would be a better financial fit. The hearing was partially prompted by

a tip on the task force’s whistleblower website about suspicious overtime pay to vehicle inspectors at DOT. Members who want to leave an

anonymous tip or suggestion for the task force, as well as report any suspected wasteful government spending, should visit www.nysenate.gov/committee/task- force-government-efficiency.

PEF grieves halt

in tuition funding

Funding required by PS&T Contract

Article 15 to pay or reimburse members’ tuition costs and professional exam fees has been temporarily suspended. The governor did not include the

—Photos by Deborah A.Miles

funding in any of his emergency budget extender bills passed by the state Legislature. The Governor’s Office of Employee Relations was directed to suspend the funding. PEF has filed a class-action grievance

calling for the reinstatement of this funding. PEF also raised the issue in its lawsuit

asking the federal district court to order the state to live up to its obligations under the PS&T contract. However, the Article 15 funding issue

was not among those addressed by Judge Lawrence Kahn in the temporary restraining order he granted PEF May 12. That order requires the state to pay the raises agreed to in the contract and to forgo furloughing state employees, at least until Kahn decides on whether to grant the union a preliminary injunction.

—Sherry Halbrook

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