• New York State Announces $26.6 Million for Grants to Support Essential Workers

    New York State Announces $26.6 Million for Grants to Support Essential Workers

    We wanted to let PEF members know that New York State recently made available $26.6 million funded through private donations for ​the Empire Pandemic Grant Program. The money is intended for essential workers and first responders for “unreimbursed expenses they incurred while responding to the coronavirus pandemic between March 1 and July 31, 2020.” More information can be...

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  • PEF to legislators: Invest in your workforce, not in contractors

    PEF to legislators: Invest in your workforce, not in contractors

    PEF gave state legislators disturbing facts at a joint budget hearing February 10 and asked them to use their common sense and reject state proposals that will cost taxpayers more and provide fewer services and benefits to New Yorkers. The hearing was one of several held jointly by the state Senate and Assembly to hear...

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  • PEF opposes OCFS consolidation, closures at budget hearing

    PEF opposes OCFS consolidation, closures at budget hearing

    PEF provided strong testimony against Executive Budget proposals that seek to close or consolidate four Office of Children and Family Services Multi-Services Offices (CMSOs) and to close four facilities for at-risk youth. “In order to achieve $1.8 million in savings, the governor proposes the consolidation of four CMSOs,” PEF President Wayne Spence stated in written...

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  • PEF spotlights state budget concerns at workforce hearing

    PEF spotlights state budget concerns at workforce hearing

    PEF Vice President Randi DiAntonio testified about the union’s state budget concerns relating to staffing and service reductions at a virtual legislative hearing on the workforce February 2.  Although witnesses were only given three minutes to present their verbal testimony, she also answered legislators’ questions for 90 minutes along...

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  • PEF weighs in on state transportation budget

    PEF weighs in on state transportation budget

    New York is facing a massive budget shortfall and a deadly pandemic, facts that PEF Regional Coordinator Andrew Puleo pointed to in written testimony urging state leaders to carefully assess capital projects, implement a tax on the uber-wealthy, and revamp the design-build system, among other key issues, during his testimony before a joint budget hearing...

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  • Governor delivers State of the State over several days

    Governor delivers State of the State over several days

    Gov. Andrew Cuomo presented the first of several State of the State messages on Monday, January 11, with additional remarks expected throughout the week. PEF President Wayne Spence said, “While the State of the State is usually short on detail, we very much support the priorities laid out in his first presentation. We agree that...

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  • PEF President Statement on NY Correctional Facility Closures

    PEF President Statement on NY Correctional Facility Closures

    Albany, N.Y. —  PEF President Wayne Spence issued the following statement on New York’s announcement that they will close the Watertown and Gowanda Correctional Facilities as well as the Clinton Annex, effective March 30, 2021: “We are disappointed that Gov. Cuomo chose to close these three facilities at this time. We understand the fiscal crisis the...

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