Department of Transportation
The enacted budget makes the following changes to the Executive Budget (analysis as of April 1, 2005):
- Reject the proposed Art. VII legislation which would implement “Design Build” and “Transportation Facility Development Partnership” programs Legislature’s Action: The
- Places a $2.9 billion Transportation Bond Act on the ballot in November. The Bond act would spend $1.45 billion for DOT capital projects and $1.45 billion for MTA capital projects. It is expected that additional details of the Bond Act will be agreed to after the State budget is enacted. PEF will continue to advocate for an increase in the number of State employee engineers as part of the Bond Act negotiations.
The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as of January 26, 2005):
- A reduction of 10 FTEs from the adjusted SFY2004-05 year-end target of 9,485. Three of these FTEs are located in the Design and Construction Program (Capital Projects – Other), nine are in the Preventive Maintenance Program (Capital Projects – Other). The Operations Program (Special Revenue – Other) has a gain of two FTEs.
- An additional loss of 14 positions during SFY2004-05 beyond the 39 reductions contained in the enacted SFY 2004-05 budget. It appears the lost FTEs come from the Operations Program as the Internal Service Fund within the Operation Program (which financed 32 of the Operation Program’s 40 FTEs during SFY2004-05) is eliminated in the SFY2005-06 DOT budget. There was an increase of 18 FTE positions within the Design and Construction program during SFY2004-05.
- A State Operations decrease of $1,427,000 (-3.6 percent). This is net of the elimination of the $4,040,000 appropriation for the Transportation Centralized Services Account within the Operations Program. In SFY2004-05, personal services accounted for $1,120,000 of that $4,040,000. The Assembly reports that the Governor is eliminating the DOT Print Shop (and 14 funded but vacant FTEs) and transferring its functions to the Office of General Services. We believe this accounts for the 14 FTE positions lost during SFY2004-05 but the issue should be clarified at Labor-Management.
- A $1.9 million (35.2%) increase in the maintenance undistributed appropriation for the Accident Damage Recovery Account within the Operations Program. The purpose for this increase should be clarified at Labor management.
- A $41.25 million (7.3%) increase in the Engineering Service program. The budget does not specify how much of these funds support consultant engineers and how much support State employee engineers. Commissioner Boardman at the DOT Budget hearing stated that the Fund is spilt approximately 50%-50% between consultant and State employee engineers.
- A Capital Projects budget increase of $228.2 million (6.7 percent). However there is no funding provided for the last two years of the proposed Five-Year Transportation Capital Plan.
- Proposes legislation to authorize the DOT and the Thruway Authority to construct projects using the design/build method of contracting. DOT could use design/build on up to 12 projects and the Thruway Authority could use it on 5 projects. Commissioner Boardman admitted during the DOT budget hearing that this legislation would increase the State’s reliance on consultant engineers
- Proposes a controversial public/private partnership plan (the “Transportation Facility Development Partnership Program”). This proposal would allow DOT, the Thruway Authority, and the MTA to enter into agreements with public or private entities to acquire, finance, build, operate, improve and maintain parts of the state’s roads, bridges and railways. These entities could impose new tolls and other charges on new construction or where capacity is increased, and increase tolls where they already exist. Twenty-one states have similar arrangements allowing privatization of state transportation facilities. The $1.8 billion, 99-year lease with a private consortium in Chicago for the 7.8 mile Skyway will double tolls within eight years. PEF vigorously opposes this proposal as we believe it will expand the state’s reliance on excessively expensive private contractors.
- Proposes legislation to increase the mortgage recording tax with the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; also increases various DMV fees to finance the Five-Year Transportation Capital Plan.
Department of Transportation
Program Details-State Operations
Enacted
Proposed
Enacted
Change in
Percent
Program
2004-05 Budget
2005-06 Budget
2004-05 Budget
Appropriation
Change
All Funds
39,928,000
38,501,000
38,501,000
($1,427,000)
-3.6%
Special Revenue-Federal
9,831,000
10,167,000
10,167,000
$336,000
3.4%
Special Revenue-Other
26,057,000
28,334,000
28,334,000
$2,277,000
8.7%
Internal Service Funds
4,040,000
0
0
($4,040,000)
-100.0%
_
Passgr&Frght Trans Pgm
26,627,000
27,508,000
27,508,000
$881,000
3.3%
Special Revenue Federal (SRF)
9,831,000
10,167,000
10,167,000
$336,000
3.4%
Special Revenue Other (SRO)
16,796,000
17,341,000
17,341,000
$545,000
3.2%
_
Federal Aviation Admin Planning Acct - (SRF)
1,060,000
1,060,000
1,060,000
$0
0.0%
Maintenance Undistributed
1,060,000
1,060,000
1,060,000
$0
0.0%
_
FTA Program Mgmt Acct - (SRF)
2,558,000
2,680,000
2,680,000
$122,000
4.8%
personal service
1,582,000
1,630,000
1,630,000
$48,000
3.0%
nonpersonal service
245,000
245,000
245,000
$0
0.0%
fringe benefits
731,000
805,000
805,000
$74,000
10.1%
_
Motor Carrier Safety Acct - (SRF)
5,813,000
6,027,000
6,027,000
$214,000
3.7%
personal service
2,432,000
2,551,000
2,551,000
$119,000
4.9%
nonpersonal service
442,000
442,000
442,000
$0
0.0%
fringe benefits
1,123,000
1,260,000
1,260,000
$137,000
12.2%
maintenance undistributed
1,816,000
1,774,000
1,774,000
($42,000)
-2.3%
_
Metropolitan Mass Transp Operating Assist Acct - (SRO)
3,382,000
3,714,000
3,714,000
$332,000
9.8%
personal service
2,107,000
2,266,000
2,266,000
$159,000
7.5%
contractual services
317,000
325,000
325,000
$8,000
2.5%
fringe benefits
958,000
1,123,000
1,123,000
$165,000
17.2%
_
Public Transport Systems Operating Assist Acct - (SRO)
2,183,000
2,373,000
2,373,000
$190,000
8.7%
personal service
1,174,000
1,261,000
1,261,000
$87,000
7.4%
contractual services
475,000
487,000
487,000
$12,000
2.5%
fringe benefits
534,000
625,000
625,000
$91,000
17.0%
_
Clean Air Fund (Mobile Source Acct) - (SRO)
608,000
648,000
648,000
$40,000
6.6%
personal service
300,000
320,000
320,000
$20,000
6.7%
nonpersonal service
172,000
172,000
172,000
$0
0.0%
fringe benefits
136,000
156,000
156,000
$20,000
14.7%
_
Rail Safety Inspection Acct - (SRO)
513,000
559,000
559,000
$46,000
9.0%
personal service
340,000
364,000
364,000
$24,000
7.1%
nonpersonal service
18,000
18,000
18,000
$0
0.0%
fringe benefits
155,000
177,000
177,000
$22,000
14.2%
_
Transport Aviation Acct - (SRO)
3,647,000
3,211,000
3,211,000
($436,000)
-12.0%
personal service
101,000
107,000
107,000
$6,000
5.9%
nonpersonal service
3,500,000
3,052,000
3,052,000
($448,000)
-12.8%
fringe benefits
46,000
52,000
52,000
$6,000
13.0%
_
Transportation Regulation Acct - (SRO)
6,463,000
6,836,000
6,836,000
$373,000
5.8%
personal service
3,212,000
3,395,000
3,395,000
$183,000
5.7%
nonpersonal service
790,000
790,000
790,000
$0
0.0%
fringe benefits
1,461,000
1,651,000
1,651,000
$190,000
13.0%
maintenance undistributed
1,000,000
1,000,000
1,000,000
$0
0.0%
_
Operations
13,701,000
11,393,000
11,393,000
($2,308,000)
-16.8%
Special Revenue-Federal (SRF)
400,000
400,000
400,000
$0
0.0%
Special Revenue-Other (SRO)
9,261,000
10,993,000
10,993,000
$1,732,000
18.7%
Internal Service Funds (ISF)
4,040,000
0
0
($4,040,000)
-100.0%
_
DOT-Accident Damage Recovery Acct - (SRO)
6,011,000
7,993,000
7,993,000
$1,982,000
33.0%
personal service
420,000
465,000
465,000
$45,000
10.7%
fringe benefits
191,000
227,000
227,000
$36,000
18.8%
maintenance undistributed
5,400,000
7,301,000
7,301,000
$1,901,000
35.2%
_
DOT Sign Shop Acct -(SRO)
250,000
0
0
($250,000)
-100.0%
maintenance undistributed
250,000
0
0
($250,000)
-100.0%
_
Transportation Surplus Property Acct - (SRO)
3,000,000
3,000,000
3,000,000
$0
0.0%
maintenance undistributed
3,000,000
3,000,000
3,000,000
$0
0.0%
_
Trans Centralized Services Acct - (ISF)
4,040,000
0
0
($4,040,000)
-100.0%
personal service
1,120,000
0
0
($1,120,000)
-100.0%
nonpersonal service
2,411,000
0
0
($2,411,000)
-100.0%
fringe benefits
509,000
0
0
($509,000)
-100.0%
_
Capital Projects Budget
_
_
Engrg Services Prog.***
$566,246,000
$607,502,000
$607,502,000
$41,256,000
7.3%
_
NY Metropolitian Trans Council Acct
$10,180,000
$10,202,000
$10,202,000
$22,000
0.2%