Analysis as of February 8, 2000:

• According to the Senate $3.7 million of the $4.9 million increase in the Special Revenue Other appropriation for the Business and Licensing program will be used to enhance Internet-online processing regarding customer and application services. Part of the cost of this will be financed with the $4.9 million in revenues generated from the proposed increase in certain licensing and examination fees.
• According to the Assembly and Senate the $7 million Maintenance Undistributed appropriation in the Local Government and Community Services program for Indian Land Claims litigation was also appropriated in SFY1999-00 in an Emergency Appropriation bill. According to the Assembly, the $2 million Fiduciary Fund appropriation in this program is for the New York State Fire Academy to allow entities to donate funds to be used in support of the Academy.

The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as of January 20, 2000):

• An increase of 30 ASAFL positions, 20 in the Licensing Services program and 10 in the Local Government and Community Services program. This would bring the total workforce to 850 ASAFL positions. These numbers coincide exactly with GOER’s figures on the department’s positions.
• An overall increase of $10.6 million in the agency’s State Operations Program, $4.9 million of this increase occurs in the Business and Licensing Services Program. Almost all of this increase occurs in the Special Revenue-Other appropriation for this program. $1.16 million of the $4.9 million increase is for personal services and the remainder is for non-personal services, which includes the cost of fringe benefits. No specific detail is provided as to the purpose for this increase in non-personal service funding. General reference is made to "a department-wide technology initiative which will improve automation and internet computer capacities to enhance service for the department’s business customers, improve the electronic filing of Financial Disclosure Statements and implement a new fire incident reporting system."
• An overall increase of $4.9 million in the Local Government and Community Services program. Most of this increase is due to what the Executive Budget Appendix claims is a $1.75 million increase in a General Fund $7 million Maintenance Undistributed appropriation for services and expenses associated with legal and other fees related to Indian land claims litigation. We could find no appropriation in the General Government appropriation bill for SFY1999-00 for this purpose. However the late nature of that budget and the confusion surrounding it could easily have resulted in this appropriation being included in another appropriation bill. The Executive Budget Appendix also claims there is $2.75 million Special Revenue Other, Maintenance Undistributed appropriation for this program, an increase of $2.2 million. We cannot locate this appropriation in the appropriation bill and cannot identify its purpose although we believe it is related to the "department-wide technology initiative" already discussed.
• An increase in licensing, examination and application fees ranging from $10 to $50 for appearance enhancement professionals, barbers, real estate brokers and salespersons, alarm installers, security guards, private investigators and notaries.

Last Updated on 02/03/00