Memo
TO:
State Senators and Assembly Members
DATE:
RE:
PEF asks the Legislature to modify the
Governor’s budget in these areas:
Office of Children And Family Services
(OCFS) - the Governor proposes to close the following OCFS youth facilities:
Adirondack Wilderness,
PEF position:
PEF is opposed to these proposed closures. In some cases, this may result in
young people being placed in privately operated programs that are not really
able to address their needs, leading to greater recidivism and often to higher
costs. One-third of youth placed by OCFS in private facilities, fail in these
placements and are transferred to OCFS facilities.
If the State wants to reduce recidivism then they should reduce
teacher/student and counselor/youth ratios in OCFS facilities so more intensive
services can be provided. In addition, the need for residential facilities for
juvenile offenders is cyclical and recent evidence points to an increase n
juvenile crime. The New York City Police reported that juvenile arrests of youth
under 15 increased 8% over last year and that there has been a 31% increase in
the number of youth admitted to juvenile detention centers by police in New York
City over the last three years. The State should not close facilities that may
be needed in the future, particularly when some youth have so many severe
mental, educational, addiction, and other social problems that they cannot be
safely and successfully treated in the community. Although the department has
committed to working with PEF to find positions for the displaced employees,
many of these employees may have to relocate far from their current homes. These
closures will have a serious negative impact on workers, their families and
their communities. The Executive Budget estimates $3.4 million in savings from
these closures in FY 2008-09 which will grow to $16.3 million in
Department of Correctional Services
(DOCS) - the Governor proposes to close three
minimum security DOCS facilities -
PEF position:
PEF is opposed to these proposed closures. Currently DOCS has 6,700 double bunks
in medium security facilities, many of which were not constructed to accommodate
double-bunks. DOCS is also using a large number of temporary beds in their
facilities. DOCS should not close facilities’ when they are using a large number
of temporary and double bunk beds.
In addition, minimum and medium security beds should be more widely used to
transition inmates out of maximum security facilities and into our communities.
As with juvenile offenders, adult crime is also cyclical, and is affected by
population and other demographic and economic trends. In times of economic
recession, crime tends to increase. Closing these facilities may lead to future
capacity shortages and hazardous situations such as increased double-bunking.
Although the department has committed to working with PEF to find positions for
the displaced employees, these closures will have a serious negative impact on
workers, their families and their communities. The
Executive Budget estimates $10.4 million in savings in FY 2008-09 from these
closures.
Estimated Cost: $10.4 million to restore
all positions and keep all facilities open.
Department of Agriculture and Markets
- the Department proposes to amend the
Agriculture and Markets law Section 500(4) to eliminate the requirement for an
annual inspection of retail food stores, substituting a risk-based assessment.
This will result in the attrition of between 21 and 38 food inspector positions
(some may already be vacant). The budget estimates a cost savings of $1.2
million by adopting this proposal and eliminating these positions.
PEF position:
Reject the proposed amendment to the Agriculture and Markets Law. This plan may
lead to fewer inspections of food stores. Food safety is too important to rely
solely on an untested assessment of risk. Amend S6809/A9809 by deleting Part N.
Estimated Cost: $1.2 million to restore
positions.
PEF position:
Oppose this “flexibility” language. It goes too far in removing oversight and
accountability. The review of contracts for services by oversight agencies like
the Comptroller and Attorney General exists for a good reason- to make sure that
the public interest is protected. The proposed language is so broad it could
lead to unanticipated results that could alter SUNY’s operation without real
public input. For example, parts of SUNY campuses could be leased out to private
operators, or SUNY professional employees could be replaced by contractors. SUNY
has never demonstrated the need for this proposal. A more limited version of
flexibility for SUNY may be worth considering. Amend S6807/A9807 by deleting
Part D.
Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) - the Governor proposes to amend the State Finance Law Section 92-s to
allow money from the Environmental Protection Fund to be used for a Pollution
Prevention Institute.
PEF position:
Amend S6809/A9809 Part B by deleting any reference to the Pollution Prevention
Institute (PPI). Little is known about this proposed Institute. While the stated
goals are noble, it may become yet another off-budget shadow agency spending
public funds without oversight or accountability. The mission of protecting the
environment should be kept within DEC and there is no need to create a new
entity. The current PPI proposal would allow the Institute to provide technical
assistance and pollution prevention planning that was once handled by the DEC
Pollution Prevention unit.
Keeping this work within the DEC will assure both planners and regulatory staff
have access to the same training and guidance thus preventing planners from
providing inappropriate information and keeping inspection staff abreast of the
latest technology and how it “fits” with current regulation.
Urban Development Corporation
(UDC) - UDC is a public authority that administers economic development
programs. The Governor proposes to eliminate a sunset of UDC’s authority to
issue debt.
PEF position-
public authorities operate in the shadows without appropriate public oversight
and accountability. Their operations should be diminished, not expanded. Most of
the functions of UDC could be more appropriately consolidated with the State
Department of Economic Development. Amend S6809/A9809 by deleting Part W.
Lottery-
the Governor proposes to “monetize” the future revenues of the State Lottery
through a financing transaction that has not yet been fully defined.
PEF position:
PEF represents about 100 employees of the Division of the Lottery. They play a
vital role in promoting lottery sales while also safeguarding the integrity of
the lottery. The proposed private investment in the lottery should not proceed
until it can be firmly established that the public interest will be protected
and that the operation will continue to be administered by professional civil
servants, accountable to the citizens of
Department of Transportation
(DOT) - DOT proposes to eliminate the sunset of the “single audit” provisions of
Transportation Law Section 21. The original legislation that established this
program required that DOT report annually on the costs and benefits of this
program. However, it appears that no report was ever done.
PEF position:
This program should not be made permanent without a review of costs and
benefits. Amend S6809/A9809 by deleting Part D.
Division of Parole-
PEF asks the Legislature to add $50,000 to the Parole budget to fund a medical
study of job-related stress and cardiovascular conditions affecting Parole
Officers.
Retiree Health Insurance Benefits
- A proposal in the Department of Civil
Service’s budget narrative is cause for concern. That narrative states, “In
January 2009, the current coverage for retirees will be converted to a
contracted Medicare Part D plan to recoup greater Federal reimbursement and
decrease the (State’s) GASB 45 liability by about $3 billion. Both
the State and local employers will benefit by an estimated $60 million in
savings when fully implemented.” The key question is whether this change will
alter the prescription drug benefits of retirees covered by the State health
insurance. This shift should not go forward until that question is answered.
There does not appear to be any language in any budget bill specifically
authorizing this shift.
PEF Supports the Governor’s Initiatives in the
Following Areas:
·
The Governor
proposes to save the taxpayers millions of dollars by reducing the use of
consultants in cases where equally qualified State employees can do the work at
lower cost, such as engineering and bridge inspection in DOT.
·
The Governor
proposes to improve the effectiveness of State agencies by adding staff in key
agencies including DOT, Parole, Health, OMH, OMRDD and others.
In Order to Fund Important Services, PEF
Supports the Governor’s Proposals for Reasonable Efforts to Increase Revenue
Such As:
·
Qualified
production activities income decoupling;
·
Making permanent
tax shelter reporting requirements;
·
Raising the auto
insurance surcharge to fund State Police and bridge inspection;
·
Allowing the
Commissioner of Tax & Finance to require electronic filing by certain types of
tax filers;
·
Expanding the
bottle bill to cover more types of containers and requiring that unclaimed
deposits be transferred to the Environmental Protection Fund.
Cc. Executive Board
Council
Leaders