Assembly Standing Ways and Means Committee - Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - Albany, NY
To examine the Executive Proposal to reduce the estimated budget deficit for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year
Senate Standing Committee on Finance - Monday, October 26, 2009 - New York, NY
The Governor's Proposed Deficit Reduction Plan
The Organization of New York State Management/Confidential Employees, Inc. (OMCE) submits this statement to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee/Senate Committee on Finance reviewing the Governor’s proposed Deficit Reduction Plan (DRP) and its impacts. We are not discussing the Governors proposals but offer additional suggestions for savings.
OMCE represents the state employees designated as managerial and confidential (M/C). These employees are prohibited by law (Taylor Law) from belonging to a union, or engaging in collective bargaining. This has put these M/C employees at a severe disadvantage with respect to fair and equitable treatment. We refer specifically to having their statutorily provided April 2009 Salary increases, performance advances, merit and longevity payments withheld by the Governor—in the name of fiscal austerity, after passage of the budget with a $500 million gap left to the Governor to address—when those employees represented by unions have been paid these same increases.
M/C employees constitute 5.5% of the workforce so the savings are minimal…$16 million in a $132 billion budget, as compared to actions that would apply to the entire workforce. OMCE has proposed and supported savings opportunities that far exceed $1 billion dollars. New proposals offered will add almost another $1 billion.
OMCE has proposed significant savings opportunities during this past year while OMCE has engaged in discussions with the Paterson Administration and with key legislators to resolve the problem of restoring the M/C salary increases, etc. so far, to no avail. Attached is a compilation of these proposals, including proposals made to Executive Chamber staff this week.
We think you will agree that our savings proposals are serious and valid and indicate both our understanding of the current fiscal situation and our willingness to work to address it realistically, while at the same time fulfilling our primary obligation to our members.
M/C employees are responsible for running state government and for working with the most sensitive information. They are the managers who have to develop and implement deficit reduction plans, ensure the provision of required services with seriously reduced resources, and they are paid less, in many cases than the employees they supervise. M/C employees also work in administrative functions such as payroll, personnel, budget, finance and other program support positions where they also are paid less than other employees at the same salary grade level. These employees are critical to the effective and efficient functioning of state government.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide our suggestions for budget reductions. We will continue to work aggressively for equal treatment of M/C employees and we ask your support. We submit that you have a responsibility to ensure equal treatment for ALL state employees, including M/Cs, as that is the only way to ensure a viable workforce which can do the job it is required to do.
Attachments (2)
OMCE Savings Proposals for 2009-2010 Budget Reductions
Prior Proposals Submitted Savings Projected
|
Implement two week “rolling paydate lag.” (One week “rolling paydate lag”). |
$692 million ($360 million) |
|
Offer expanded opportunities for VRWS. |
$7 million |
|
Seek volunteers and offer leave without pay for up to six months with health insurance coverage maintained at current shares of premiums. |
$20 million (500 participants) |
|
Offer and manage OMCE Succession Planning Incentive. |
$120 million (2000 plans) |
|
Pilot project linking VRWS and telecommuting for employees with no face to face public contact. |
$2 million |
|
Eliminate phone lines that are still “active” in the phone closet but not connected to a phone jack. |
$2 million |
|
Eliminate all S.212 waiver employees and create full-time equivalent positions for current employed eligibles. |
$3 million |
|
Eliminate duplicative agency operations such as “Communications Office” in agencies that have a Division of Public Affairs and a Press Office. |
$3 million |
|
Sunset unused “member items” after 2 years. |
$500,000+ |
|
Charge motorists from other states for DMV statements that all tickets/fines/penalties owed to NYS are paid. |
$1 million ($5 fee) |
|
Charge attorneys for duplicate copies of tickets……ticket issued to client. |
$1 million ($5 fee) |
|
Review and eliminate duplicative or superfluous LEXIS accounts. |
$500,000 |
|
Reduce number and value of consultant contracts. |
$100 million |
|
Count savings on attrited positions off payroll in 2008-09. |
$110 million |
|
Count savings for funded unfilled positions given up by agencies. |
$50 million |
|
Manage equipment, furniture, auto and temporary staff leasing. |
$50 million |
|
Reduce political appointee hiring and control salaries. |
$25 million |
|
Additional managerial savings and efficiencies. |
$50 million |
|
Review and consolidate or eliminate toll free hotlines. |
|
|
Outside the Executive Branch: scrutinize consultant contracts let by OSC(VendRep, PORTAL), and revamping of Common Retirement System computer systems. |
$60 million |
|
Appoint a new Pension Task Force comprised of equal number/representation of workers, retirees and employers to review all pension related issues. |
|
|
TOTAL |
$1.3 billion |
OMCE Savings Proposals for 2009-2010 Budget Reductions
New Savings Proposals Savings Projected
|
Reduce number of public authorities and sub-authorities. |
$20 million |
|
Reduce number of commissions and boards. |
$5 million |
|
Continue reduction of contracting out. |
$10 million |
|
Consider preference for NYS based companies in RFP/contract process where contracts are deemed necessary. |
|
|
Eliminate Office of National and Community Service (non-profit; voluntary sector does this. |
$1 million |
|
Collect cigarette and fuel taxes on Native American reservations from jobbers/wholesalers doing business with Native Americans. |
$65 million |
|
Reduce member item funding and equalize allocations. |
$100 million |
|
Reduce NYSHIP reserve fund to an actuarial reasonable amount ($500 million). $250 million savings to be distributed to state and local participating employers; State portion to be used for M/C raises. |
$250 million |
|
Consolidate drug purchases for various programs and purchase from overseas/request waiver for such purposes. |
$100 million |
|
Pass single payer state legislation and begin to implement. |
|
|
Freeze any funding for Albany Convention Center. |
$10 million |
|
Support moratorium on purchase of recreational lands. |
$78 million |
|
Increase background checks/vetting of all companies proposed to get state dollars – for tax liability, pay to play, criminal records. |
|
|
GRAND TOTAL |
1.939 Billion |