Civil Service Enforcement/Research Department

TO:                 Executive Board Members and Council Leaders

FROM:           Thomas E. Cetrino, Brian Curran, Susan Mitnick, Steve Connolly, Ryan Delgado, Kristie Sammons, Mike Marinello and Jeff Waggoner

DATE:           April 1, 2009

RE:                 Summary of the Enacted Budget SFY 2009-10

            The Legislature has now passed all the final legislation necessary to enact the SFY 2009-10 budget.  According to the Division of Budget the enacted budget assumes $481 million in state employee union concessions/workforce reductions over the next two fiscal years. This amount reflects the General Fund savings that would have been generated by the elimination of the 3% raise ($360 million savings) and the five day lag ($121 million in savings). The original two-year General Fund savings for all of the Governor’s proposed employee concessions was $629 million and the All Funds savings was $802 million. 

The Governor has stated that absent employee concessions he will have to achieve $481 million in savings by reducing the state workforce by 8,900 positions through attrition and layoff.  These 8,900 position reductions will be in addition to the approximately 1,608 agency specific position reductions already included in the enacted budget.  It is unclear whether the un-itemized 1,500 position attritions assumed in the SFY 2009-10 Executive Budget will occur in addition to the 8,900 position reductions DOB will be seeking from State agencies.

Final Action on PEF’s Budget Priorities

1.      Employee Salary and Benefit Proposals: Rejects the Executive Budget proposals to eliminate the 3% salary increase, institute a five day salary deferral, establish a new Tier V Pension which would reinstate the 3% employee contributions after 10 years, establish a sliding employee contribution scale for retiree health insurance and make the cost of the Medicare Part B reimbursement to retirees a cost of the New York State Health Insurance Plan rather than solely the employer.

2.      Department of Economic Development (DED): Rejects the Executive Budget proposal to merge three entities that deal with economic development- the Department of Economic Development (DED), the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and the Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). DED and NYSTAR will remain state agencies.

3.      Revenue Increases: Accepts with revisions the Governor’s proposals to reform the Empire Zone program (which will generate $90 million in savings/revenue) and expand the bottle bill and allow the State to keep the vast majority of unclaimed deposits (which will generate $115 million in new revenue annually).  

Includes a three year 1% increase (from 6.85% to 7.85%)  in the top income tax rate for single taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $200,000 or more, heads of households with adjusted gross incomes of over $250,000 or more and married taxpayers filing jointly with adjusted gross incomes of $300,000 or more.  Increases the top rate to 8.97% for all taxpayers with incomes over $500,000.  The new income tax rates will generate $4 billion in SFY 2009-10. 

In addition, a new premium tax was imposed on for-profit Health Maintenance Organizations which has the effect of taxing them the same as other health insurance corporations (this will generate $120 million annually).  PEF strongly advocated for all of these proposals and they were all part of our options to the employee concessions sought by the Governor.  Chart 2 is a list of all revenue actions included in the enacted budget.

4.      State University of New York (SUNY): Rejects the Executive Budget proposal to give SUNY greater authority to enter into contracts and leases and to buy and sell real estate without prior review by the Comptroller, Attorney General or the Legislature.

5.      Office of Cyber Security & Critical Infrastructure (CSIC): Rejects the Executive Budget proposal to convert CSCIC into a not-for-profit corporation to provide cyber security operations, integration, and geographic information systems services.

6.      Urban Development Corporation (UDC): Rejects the Executive Budget proposal to eliminate a sunset of UDC’s authority to issue debt and instead extends loan powers for one-year.

7.      Department of Transportation (DOT): Rejects the Executive Budget proposal to make permanent the “single audit” provisions of Transportation Law Section 21 and instead extends the single audit provisions for one year.

8.      Office of Procurement Services (OPS): Rejects the Executive Budget proposal to create a new Office of Procurement Services by transferring the procurement function from the Office of General Services (OGS).  Restores $14.97 million to the OGS State Operations budget at least $7.42 million of which is for procurement services.

9.      Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC): Adds $27.24 million to the Executive Budget’s State Operations appropriation for DEC.  It is unclear what impact this additional funding will have on DEC staffing levels.

10.  OCFS Closures:  Accepts the Executive Budget proposals to close effective June 2009 the Great Valley, Cattaraugus and Adirondack non-secure centers (-75 beds, -75 FTEs); the Rochester and Syracuse Community Residential Homes (-17 beds, -16FTEs); the Pyramid Reception Center (-47 beds, -90 FTEs); and the evening reporting centers in Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse (-30 slots, -22 FTEs).  The Tryon limited secure center and Allen non-secure center will also be downsized by June 2009 (-65 beds, -52FTEs). The legislature rejected the executive budget proposal to permanently repeal the current 12 month notice law but suspended this law as relates to the closure of the facilities targeted in this budget. Management has stated that the projected closure date for all targeted facilities/programs except Pyramid Reception Center is July 1, 2009.

11.  DOCS Closures:  Accepts the Executive Budget proposals to close three minimum security DOCS facilities - Camps Gabriels, Mt. McGregor and Pharsalia, and several annexes and special housing units. These closures will result in the loss of 465 positions.  Rejects the Executive Budget proposals to close Camp Georgetown (restores 89 positions, 11 of which are PEF positions, at a cost of $4.293 million) and to modify the 12 month notice law by reducing notice to 90 days in times of financial crisis. The Legislature did exempt the closures of annexes and special housing units from the notice requirement and allows the closures of Camps Gabriels, Mt. McGregor and Pharsalia to occur after July 1, 2009 and before March 31, 2010.

12.  Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services: Accepts the Executive Budget proposals to close the Manhattan Addiction Treatment Center, which will result in the loss of 34 positions, 20 through layoffs, and to eliminate funding for the NDRI- AIDS Outreach and Prevention Program(AOP).

13.  Office of Mental Health:  Rejects the Executive Budget proposal to effectively nullify the current law that requires 12 months notice before closure of an OMH facility. The Legislature does allow the reduction of inpatient capacity in SFY 2009-10 by 450 beds with a minimum of two weeks’ notice to the Legislature, through ward closures of up to 150 beds or conversion to transitional placement programs.  Any other bed reductions must comply with existing 12 month notice.

Chart 1 shows the All Funds State Operations SFY 2009-10 Executive Budget/30-day amendment and SFY 2009-10 Enacted Budget appropriations and the difference between the two for each state agency that has PEF members.  This will provide a quick analysis of which agencies had changes made to their State Operations budget by the Legislature and the magnitude of that change.  This memo will provide the major details of the significant changes made to State agency State Operations budgets.

A more detailed analysis of these changes will be contained in the agency summaries provided to Executive Board members and Statewide Labor Management Chairs for their respective agencies.  These summaries compare the SFY 2008-09 enacted budget appropriations to the SFY 2009-10 enacted budget appropriations. It is important to remember that the enacted appropriations for SFY 2008-09 do not include the money that was used to pay for salary increases that year nor do they reflect the 10 percent cut made during the fiscal year.  All agency summaries have been mailed to Executive Board members and Statewide Labor Management Chairs and will be posted on PEF’s website in the Budgets section no later than April 10.

The Governor and legislative leaders have stated that it is likely that the State’s fiscal situation will continue to deteriorate during the fiscal year and that further spending reductions and revenue increases may be made during the fiscal year.

The major changes made by the SFY 2009-10 enacted budget legislation to the proposed SFY 2009-10 State Operations program appropriations within State agencies are as follows (if your agency is not included that means the Legislature made no significant changes to your agency’s Executive Budget’s State Operations appropriation):

Education, Labor, & Family Assistance (S53-C/A153-C &S57-B/A157-B)

Office of Children and Family Services

• An All Funds increase of $9.15 million from the Executive Budget appropriation.  Funding for the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped Program increases by $8 million from the Executive Budget appropriation (total increase of $9,515,000 from the enacted SFY 2008-09 appropriation), and reflects federal stimulus funding for additional services and expenses of the Commission.

•  Increases the Youth Facilities Program Executive budget appropriation by $1,154,000, including $1.02 million in personal services and $135,000 in non-personal services.  It is possible that this increase in Personal Services is related to extending the closure dates of the targeted facilities; however we do not have any specific information to confirm this. The total appropriation for this program is still $3,811,000 lower than the enacted SFY 2008-09 appropriation.

• Allows the closure of Adirondack, Cattaraugus, and Great Valley Residential Centers; Pyramid Reception Center; Rochester and Syracuse Community Residential Homes; Buffalo, Syracuse and Capital District Evening Reporting Centers; and the downsizing of Allen and Tryon Residential Centers without compliance with existing 12 month notice requirements.  No specific closure dates are set for these facilities; however, management has stated that the projected closure date for all targeted facilities/programs except Pyramid Reception Center is July 1, 2009.  Does not eliminate the 12 month notice requirement for future closures.

Department of Labor

• Adds $5.6 billion to the agency’s All Funds budget, the majority of which is federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Most of this funding will go to the Unemployment Insurance Benefit Fund program’s Enterprise Fund which is used to pay unemployment insurance benefits.

• Adds $66.6 million in federal funds to the Administration program; $29.6 million is for the administrative cost of running the Unemployment Insurance program, $15 million is for UI modernization, $17.5 million is for the administration of employment services and Workforce Investment Act programs (a portion of this funding can be transferred to the local assistance budget), and $4.5 million for the administration of the Trade Adjustment assistance program.

• Rejects the transfer of the State Employment Relations Board to the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB), which accounted for the (-15) FTE decline in the Executive Budget. Adds $1.72 million to fund this program and restore these positions.

State Education Department

• Adds $10 million Special Revenue – Federal (SRF) to the Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education program for a new Federal Institute of Education Sciences Fund, pursuant to the statewide data systems grant program provided under Section 208 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act, as funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  It is unclear whether these funds will be used to fund any new positions.

Office of Temporary Disability Assistance

• The Legislature adds $650,000 SRF to the budget, which goes to OTDA’s Specialized Services Program (Trans Support & Policy Program).  Of the $650,000, $300,000 is targeted for personal services in the Trans. Support and Policy Program.

State University of New York

• Increases the All Funds appropriation by $62.8 million. This will provide additional funding for the All State University Colleges and Schools Program and, using federal stimulus funds, the Student Aid Program’s Federal Department of Education Fund, SUNY Pell Program Account.

• The Senate analysis of the enacted budget states that $25.4 million was restored to the three SUNY Hospitals at Syracuse, Brooklyn, and Stony Brook.  This funding is related to the state subsidy for fringe benefits and is available due to maximizing the use of disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments, which will generate $48 million, which according to the Division of Budget, is expected to support two years of fringe benefit subsidies.

• Rejects the Article VII language, which would have increased SUNY and CUNY’s existing flexibility in the areas of procurement and capital construction.

Council on the Arts

• Denies the Executive Budget recommendation that the New York State Theater Institute merge with the Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center and adds the $3.07 million NYSTI budget back into the Council of the Arts budget.

• Restores $584,000 for the Empire State Plaza Perform Arts Center Corporation Program.

Health and Mental Hygiene (S54-C/A154-C &S58-B/A158-B)

Department of Health

• Increases the Department of Health’s State Operations All Funds appropriation by $50.03 million.

• Adds $52 million to the Center for Community Health Program’s SRF Accounts (both funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009):

o   Federal Department of Education Fund, Individuals with Disabilities-Part C Account, $22 million, for activities related to a handicapped infants and toddlers program.

o   Federal Health and Human Services Fund, $30 million, for federal prevention and wellness.

• Adds $14.5 million to Roswell Park Cancer Institute in aid to localities (HCRA) funds to support operating costs associated with cancer research.  The funds appropriated are supported by savings resulting from the increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) provided pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009.

Office of Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG)

• Rejects the proposed merger of the Office of Welfare Inspector General (OWIG) with OMIG   (-$1.66 million).  The proposal would have also transferred 10 positions from OWIG to OMIG for the prevention and investigation of welfare fraud and abuse.

• Without the merger, OMIG has a SFY 2009-10:

o   All Funds appropriation of $91.09 million, which is a $1.3 million increase (or 1.4%) from the SFY 2008-09 enacted budget.
o   Personal service appropriation of $23.7 million, which is a $2.5 million increase, or 11.5% increase from the SFY 2008-09 enacted budget.
o   Contractual services appropriation of $10.2 million, which is a decrease of $2.4 million or 19.1% from the SFY 2008-09 enacted budget.

Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)

• No changes to the proposed appropriations for state operations. This will result in the closure of the Manhattan Addiction Treatment Center and the loss of 34 positions, 20 through layoffs and the elimination of funding for the NDRI- AIDS Outreach and Prevention Program (AOP) and the loss of 25 positions.

• Part of the Article VII language which reforms the Rockefeller Drug law, also amends the mental hygiene law to require OASAS to monitor programs providing care and treatment to inmates in correctional facilities, operated by the Department of Correctional Services (DOCS), who have a history of alcohol or substance abuse or dependence.  It also requires OASAS to develop guidelines for the operation of alcohol and substance abuse treatment programs in such correctional facilities, in order to ensure that such programs sufficiently meet the needs of these inmates and promote the successful transition to treatment in the community upon release.  The language also calls for OASAS to submit a report, no later than December 1st of each year, regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of alcohol and substance abuse treatment programs operated by the DOCS.

Office of Mental Health

•  Increases the All Funds appropriation by $2 million from the proposed budget for a total appropriation of $2,047,858.  This increase of $1 million in the Administration and Finance Program and $1 million in the Adult Services Program reflects savings from increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) provided from the Federal stimulus package.  This will fund services and expenses associated with the continuation of respondents appearing in person before a judge in certain proceedings.

• Adds $400,000 in Aid to Localities funding to the NY Psychiatric Institute.

• Article VII legislation allows the reduction of inpatient capacity in SFY 2009-10 by 450 beds with a minimum of two weeks’ notice to the Legislature, through ward closures of up to 150 beds or conversion to transitional placement programs.  Any other bed reductions must comply with existing 12 month notice provisions.

Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities

• Increases the All Funds appropriation by $1 million in the Central Coordination and Support Program, reflecting Special Revenue-Federal funding for the Assets for Independence Program and other health and human services programs. 

•  Rejects Article VII legislation which would have provided for a four year extension, until January 1, 2014, of the current exemption for employees of the Department of Mental Hygiene, the Office of Children and Family Services, and local government operated, regulated, funded or approved programs from certain social work and mental health professional licensure requirements.

State Office of Aging

• Increases the All Funds appropriation by $265,000.  This additional funding is in the Federal Health and Human Services Fund and reflects federal stimulus funding for the following programs: Congregate Nutritional Services ($150,000); Home-delivered Nutritional Services ($65,000); and Senior Community Service Employment Program ($50,000).

Public Protection & General Government (S50-C/A150-C & S56-B /A156-B)

Department of Correctional Services

• Increases the All Funds appropriation by $11,293,000.  All increases are in the Supervision of Inmates Program, and include $4.3 million in a Maintenance Undistributed appropriation for the continued operation of Camp Georgetown; and $5.25 million in Personal Services and $1.75 million in Non-personal Services which we believe are related to rejection of the delayed implementation of expansion of the mental health program authorized by the Special Housing Unit (SHU) Exclusion law (the Assembly stated that $8.6 million in funding was restored, some of this funding may be in the OMH budget).

• Amends the Article VII bill to provide for the closure of Camps Gabriels, Mt. McGregor and Pharsalia any time between July 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010.  Requires a plan for facility adaptive reuse to be provided to the legislature by October 1, 2010.  Permanently removes annexes and special housing units from the 12 month notice provisions.  Provides that any additional facility closures will have to comply with the 12 month notice provisions.

• Enacts Article VII legislation reforming the Rockefeller Drug Laws, establishing diversionary drug treatment programs for nonviolent first time offenders and allowing for the resentencing of some incarcerated offenders.

Department of Law

• An All Funds reduction of $15.76 million from the proposed Executive Budget. There are significant decreases in the personal service appropriations in the Counsel for the State Program, Economic Justice Program, and Medicaid Fraud Control Program.  It is unclear what impact these reductions will have on the current staffing level of the department.

State Police

• Decreases the All Funds Appropriation by $9.09 million, reflecting the following changes:

o    A reduction of $8.9 million (including a $8.8 million reduction in contractual services) in the Patrol Activities Program, Maintenance Undistributed appropriation, which according to the Assembly was related to the rejected Executive Budget proposal (Article VII legislation, S. 50, Part S) to deploy speed enforcement photo-monitoring equipment to combat speeding in work zones and on certain stretches of highway, which was rejected by the legislature.   The remaining $500,000 appropriation will fund the purchase of pistol cameras and training for mobile response teams.

o   A $1 million reduction in the Patrol Activities personal services appropriation for overtime.

o   An increase of $810,000 in Special Revenue Federal funding in the Criminal Investigation program for the Internet Crimes Against Children Account pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Division of Criminal Justice Services

•  Increase the agency’s All Funds appropriation by $18.55 million, all of which is in the Funding and Program Assistance Program, reflecting additional Edward Byrne Memorial Grant Account increases from the federal stimulus package.

• Rejects Article VII legislation which would have required applicants to be licensed as an insurance agent, broker, adjuster, consultant, or intermediary, to submit their fingerprints to the Division of Criminal Justice Services as part of a background check.

Division of Parole

• Enacts Rockefeller Drug Law reforms, including authorizing the Division of Parole to discharge early from parole supervision non-violent drug offenders who have demonstrated success and rehabilitation while serving post-release supervision.

Division of Alcohol and Beverage Control

• Rejects the proposed $3 million appropriation in a new Maintenance Undistributed (MU) account within the License & Wholesaler Services Program, for services and expenses related to the processing of license applications, enforcement, and implementation of a bill authorizing the sale of wine in grocery stores.  This appropriation included $1.85 million for personal service and $1.15 million for nonpersonal service ($64,000 of which is for contractual services). It is unclear what impact this cut will have on the agency’s plans to add 50 FTE positions but since these positions were linked to the rejected Executive Budget’s proposal to sell wine in grocery stores it is unlikely any of these new positions will be filled. 

• Adds Article VII language that requires the authority, for SFY 2009-10, to improve and update their information technology in order to meet federal security requirements to assist in the processing of license and/or permit applications and renewals.

Office of General Services (OGS)

• Rejects the Governor’s proposal to transfer the Procurement Services Group to a new Office for Procurement Services (OPS), and rename the “Procurement Services” program in OGS the Technology and Asset Management program (the Article VII language was also intentionally omitted from the enacted Article VII language).

• Including the restoration of the Procurement Services Program, OGS has a SFY 2009-10:

o   All Funds appropriation of $808.5 million, which is a $390 million increase (or 93.2%) from the SFY 2008-09 enacted budget. This includes a $16.87 million legislative addition to the Executive Budget which restores the funding for the Procurement Services Program and supports a new federally funded Commodities Assistance program. The agency’s overall increase is primarily due the addition of a new $400 million appropriation to permit consolidation of lease payments under OGS.

State Board of Elections

• Adds $1 million in contractual services to the Help America Vote Act Matching Funds Account in the Regulation of Elections Program.

Office for Technology

• Adds $17.76 million to the Statewide Technology Program, within the following new Special Revenue Funds – Federal accounts (the funds were provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009):

o   $12.75 million for the Federal Operating Grants Fund - Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, which includes $12 million for the purposes of broadband competitive grants and allowable services and expenses to expand access for those residing in un-served or underserved areas; and $750,000 for purposes of broadband competitive grants to develop a nationwide broadband inventory map to reflect broadband availability within the state. 

o   $5 million for the Federal Operating Grants Fund – Rural Broadband Infrastructure Development Program.  This new account will provide rural broadband infrastructure competitive grants and allowable services and expenses to develop high speed broadband in rural areas that lack sufficient access.

Transportation,  Economic Development & Environmental Conservation     (S55-C/ A155-C & S59-B/A159-B)

Department of Economic Development (DED) 

• Rejects the Governor’s proposal to merge DED into the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and appears to appropriate the funds necessary for continued operations.

• The All Funds appropriation for the enacted 2009-10 budget has decreased by $13.39 million, or 25.8 percent from SFY 2008-09.  However, $12.28 million, or 90 percent of the decrease is attributed to contractual services.  The personal services appropriation decreases by $1.06 million, or 6.5 percent.

• Modifies the Empire Zones Program (Part K) to provide decertification of companies that have received more in benefits from the state than they have made in investments, as well as “shirt-changers.”   Program will sunset one year early, in 2010.  New companies will have to meet 20:1 benefit/cost ratio, unless they are manufacturing companies which would have to meet a 10:1 benefit/cost ratio.  These reforms are expected to generate $90 million in revenue in SFY 2009-10.

Foundation for Science and Technology

• Rejects the Governor’s proposal to merge NYSTAR into the ESDC and funds necessary for continued operations have been appropriated.  The All Funds SFY 2009-10 appropriations for the Foundation is $4,293,000 a decrease of $243,000, or 5.4 percent from the enacted SFY 2008-09 appropriation.  Changes are as follows:

o   Administration Program – Personal service decrease of $62,000, or 2.8 percent. We assume there is adequate funding to support the 26 FTEs for the Foundation but that should be clarified with management. 

o   Administration Program – Contractual service decrease of $159,000, or 14.2 percent.

Department of Environmental Conservation

• Increases the All Funds appropriation by $27.24 million, or 5.6 percent.  Most of this increase is due to $25.6 million in additional Special Revenue Federal funds related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The remaining increase of $2.34 million in Special Revenue Other is partially offset by a General Fund decrease of $700,000.

•  Increases DEC’s agency-wide personal service appropriations by $285,000 and increases their overall contractual service appropriations by $550,000. It is unclear whether any of this additional funding will impact DEC staffing levels.

•  Increases the Air and Water Quality Program by $15.6 million in Special Revenue Federal (SRF), American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in the following accounts:  Federal Environmental Conservation Air Resources +$1.8 million; Spills Management Grant +$9.5 million; and Federal ENCON Water Grants +4.4 million. It is unclear whether any of this additional funding will impact DEC staffing levels.

• Increases the Forest and Land Resources Program by $10 million in SRF - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  It is unclear whether any of this additional funding will impact DEC staffing levels.

Department of Transportation

• Adds $3.68 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment 2009 capital project funds, a significant but un-itemized portion of which is available for engineering services.  The language appropriating this money does not include specific amounts for DOT engineers or consultant engineers. 

• DOT Single Audit (PART A) - Rejects Executive Budget Proposal.  Extends single audit by one year.

Department of Banking

• Increases the All Funds appropriation by $2.1 million, or 2.1 percent.  The entire increase is in the Regulation Program for the addition of 25 FTE Bank Examiners ($1.4 million personal services and $700,000 fringe benefits).

Department of Insurance

• Increases the Department’s overall All Funds appropriation by $536,000 or .2 per percent. 

• Increases the Department’s overall General Fund appropriation by $1.8 million partially offset by SRO decrease of (-$1.26 million) in Mental Health Insurance Parity Account.  This reflects the Legislature’s rejection of the Timothy’s Law Assessment and instead funding the implementation of the law through the General Fund.

• Increases the Regulation Program’s appropriation for contractual services by $700,000. The purpose of this new appropriation is not stated but it may be related to the implementation of Timothy’s Law. Shifts $861,000 in personal service funds from Mental Health Insurance Parity Act to Regulation Program for the implementation of Timothy’s Law.

• Rejects the proposed restructuring of the Insurance Franchise Tax and the proposed increase in penalties for violations of Insurance Law.

Department of State

• Increases the Department’s overall All Funds appropriation by $431,500, or .5%. 

• Adds $431,500 in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment 2009 funds to the Local Government and Community Services Program, Federal Health & Human Services SRF –for services and expenses related to community development block grants.  It is unclear whether this funding will impact the Department’s staffing level.

• Rejects Executive Article VII proposal to increase examination fees for 16 disciplines licensed and regulated by the Department.

Department of Tax and Finance

• Increases the All Funds appropriation by $1.99 million, or .4 percent as follows:

o   Audit, Collection & Enforcement – personal service increase of $1.25 million for 25 additional auditors.

o   Increase of $748,000 in the Revenue Processing and Reconciliation Program, including $468,000 in personal service for the administration of the bottle deposit expansion.