PEF Applauds Enactment of Laws Cutting Consultants and Reforming Public Authorities

ALBANY, NY (12/02/2009)(readMedia)-- "State lawmakers have passed two reform measures that will save taxpayers millions of dollars and significantly increase accountability to the public," said Public Employees Federation President Kenneth Brynien.

"The first piece of legislation will reduce the state's reliance on costly information technology (IT) consultants in state agencies replacing the private contractors with state employees who can do the work for less. For years, PEF has urged the state to reduce costs by cutting the use of IT consultants where the same work can be done by state employees at a savings.

"The legislation allows the state to hire a limited number of civil service employees into temporary project titles to perform IT work for a period of up to five years. It also authorizes a skills inventory of job candidates who are on specified civil service eligible lists for IT titles to allow for appointments to be made from qualified candidates. The state will also work with PEF to expand current training programs to upgrade IT skills of the current state workforce.

"This cost-cutting initiative will save taxpayers millions of dollars while also improving the capacity and efficiency of the state's extensive IT systems. We will continue to push for further reductions in the reliance on consultants for a savings of as much as a billion dollars over the next four years.

"The second piece of legislation increases oversight of public authorities or "shadow agencies" by making them more transparent and accountable. It establishes an independent authorities budget office with power to examine the finances of authorities and raises the standards for fiduciary responsibility and accountability for the management of authorities.

"There are more than 700 public authorities that spend public funds, but operate outside the normal system of public oversight resulting in years of waste, corruption and billions in debt.

"PEF has long supported reducing the reliance on costly IT consultants and providing greater oversight and accountability of public authorities. Enactment of both laws is a victory for taxpayers and a move in the right direction toward government transparency," Brynien said.

PEF is the state's second-largest state-employee union, representing 59,000 professional, scientific and technical employees.