Department of Civil Service
The enacted budget makes the following changes to the Executive Budget (analysis as of 4/2/ 2007):
Adds $1.36 million to the department’s All Funds budget; all of the funding was added for personal service which should restore funding for all 30 positions the Executive Budget proposed to eliminate from the testing, human resources, and information technology programs.
Adds $490,000 in a new personal service appropriation for the Administration and Information Technology program.
Adds $870,000 in a new personal service appropriation in the Personnel Management Services program.
The Senate and Assembly recommend (analysis as of March 16, 2007):
Senate: Adds $2.5 million to the State Operations budget; $832,000 in a personal services appropriation for the Administration and Information Management program and $1.668 million in a personal services appropriation for the Personnel Management Program. This additional funding appears more than adequate to restore the funding necessary to maintain the 30 FTEs cut in the proposed Executive Budget
Assembly: Adds $1.365 million to the State Operations budget; $490,000 in a personal services appropriation for the Administration and Information Management program and $870,000 in a personal services appropriation for the Personnel Management Program. This additional funding appears adequate to support the 30 FTEs cut in the proposed Executive Budget.
The Executive Budget recommends (analysis as of February 5, 2007):
A FY 2007-08 workforce of 543. This is a decrease of 30 FTEs from the adjusted FTE level for FY 2006-07. The following chart identifies adjustments in current fiscal years FTEs along with the recommended differences in FY 2007-08 FTEs by program (if the FTE’s are the same the program is not listed):
Program
FY 2006-07 Adjustment
FY 2007-08 Difference
Administration and Information Management
0
-10
Personnel Management Services
1
-20
The total appropriation for Personal Service is $35.2 million, 15.9%.
An All Funds decrease of $1.4 million, (2.2%) from SFY 2006-07.
According to the Executive Budget Agency Presentation the Department of Civil Service will be developing an Integrated Testing System (ITS) to enhance the quality and timeliness of test scoring, list certifications and employee placements.
A Personal Service reduction of $535,000 (9.3%) in the Administration and Information Management Program. This decrease may be related to the proposed decrease of 10 FTEs for SFY 2007-08; some of these may be PEF positions. According to the Senate Finance Committee the “Administrative FTEs will be moved to a ‘host’ agency (typically to OGS or DOB) where routine administrative functions for smaller agencies are consolidated to achieve efficiencies of scale.” The Senate also refers to this decrease as a $490,000 decrease, while PEF calculates it as being slightly more. This funding and FTEs decrease should be clarified with management.
The proposed reduction of 20 FTEs from the Personnel Management Services Program is reflected in the Program’s Personal Service appropriation, with a decrease of $870,000. Additionally, the adjusted SFY 2006-07 budget showed an increase of 1 FTE. This funding and FTEs decrease and the actual number of FTEs should be clarified with management. According to the Senate Finance Committee the 20 FTEs are being eliminated due to “consolidation of redundant test development functions.” The Senate further states that “both the Staffing Services Division and the Testing Services Division write tests, which results in duplication of efforts that the Executive proposal seeks to reduce.” It is important to note that the Department of Civil Service had a workforce of 744 FTEs in SFY 1994-95; with this proposed cut their workforce would be reduce by 201 FTEs or 27% over the last thirteen years. Their ability to enforce the merit system has been severely constrained by this overall reduction in their workforce.
The Department of Civil Service employed an estimated 60 employees under consultant contracts in SFY 2006-07 at an estimated cost of $4.8 million or an average cost of $79,559 per consultant contract employee. It is estimated that the number of employees employed under consultant contracts will increase to 62 in SFY 2007-08, an increase of 2 employees (a 3% increase). The consultants will be paid $5.7 million, in SFY 2007-08, or an average cost of $91,521 per consultant contract employee, a 15% increase over the average cost per employee in SFY 2006-07. The purpose and use of these contract employees and whether they can be replaced by state employees should be clarified at statewide labor management.
Article VII language proposes an amendment to the Civil Service Law that would allow the New York State Employee Health Insurance Plan (NYSHIP) to operate as a self insured plan. According to the Article VII support memo, currently the State pays actual billed costs of health benefits, regardless of the premium paid. Therefore, the insurance carriers incur a very minimal amount of actual risk but benefit from risk fees charged to the State. This proposed language change would not require the State to change the current practice, but instead would give NYSHIP flexibility of choice.
Department of Civil Service Program Details-State Operations Enacted Proposed Enacted Change in Percent Program 2006-07 Budget 2007-08 Budget 2007-08 Budget Appropriation Change All Funds $64,596,000 $63,191,000 $64,551,000 ($45,000) -0.1% General Fund $22,836,000 $21,431,000 $22,791,000 ($45,000) -0.2% Special Rev Other $2,300,000 $2,300,000 $2,300,000 $0 0.0% Internal Service Fund $39,460,000 $39,460,000 $39,460,000 $0 0.0% Personal Service $30,388,000 $35,229,000 $36,589,000 $6,201,000 20.4% Contractual Services $10,489,000 $10,489,000 $10,489,000 100.0% Admin & Info Mgmt Pg $9,715,000 $9,180,000 $9,670,000 ($45,000) -0.5% Personal Service $5,750,000 $5,215,000 $5,705,000 ($45,000) -0.8% Regular $5,212,000 $5,212,000 Additional PS Regular $490,000 Holiday/overtime compensation $3,000 $3,000 Nonpersonal Service $696,000 $696,000 $696,000 $0 0.0% Supplies and materials $45,000 $45,000 Travel $32,000 $32,000 Contractual Services $539,000 $539,000 Equipment $80,000 $80,000 Internal Service Fund $3,269,000 $3,269,000 $3,269,000 $0 0.0% CS Emp Ben Div Admin (ISF) $3,269,000 $3,269,000 $3,269,000 $0 0.0% Personal Service $1,567,000 $1,567,000 $1,567,000 $0 0.0% Regular $1,564,000 $1,564,000 Holiday/overtime compensation $3,000 $3,000 Nonpersonal Service $1,702,000 $1,702,000 $1,702,000 $0 0.0% Supplies and materials $22,000 $22,000 Travel $3,000 $3,000 Contractual Services $534,000 $534,000 Equipment $381,000 $381,000 Fringe benefits $682,000 $682,000 $682,000 $0 0.0% Indirect costs $80,000 $80,000 $80,000 $0 0.0% Local Civil Service $1,046,000 $1,046,000 $1,046,000 $0 0.0% Personal Service $1,014,000 $1,014,000 $1,014,000 $0 0.0% Regular $1,013,000 $1,013,000 Holiday/overtime compensation $1,000 $1,000 Nonpersonal Service $32,000 $32,000 $32,000 $0 0.0% Supplies and materials $6,000 $6,000 Travel $11,000 $11,000 Contractual Services $15,000 $15,000 Personnel Benefit Svcs Pgm $30,854,000