PEF responds to governor's state budget proposal for 2013-14

ALBANY, NY (01/22/2013)(readMedia)-- Public Employees Federation (PEF) President Susan M. Kent today responded to the Governor's Executive Budget presentation in Albany.

Kent said, "We agree with Gov. Andrew Cuomo that New York can do what needs to be done to move the state forward when we all work together. But, we are concerned about a number of issues put forward in the Executive Budget that we believe could negatively impact the public services PEF members provide. We will be more effective helping the governor if we are afforded the opportunity to be at the table for appropriate workforce planning, as I have been advocating.

"We are currently analyzing the budget released at 2 p.m.this afternoon, but these are the issues that are of immediate concern:

• Any expansion of the Close to Home initiative, approved in last year's budget. We continue to oppose the Close to Home Initiative as bad public policy and remain vigilant in advocating for continuity of employment for our impacted members;
• Continued employment of our members and the economic stability of the communities in which the governor is proposing the closure of two prisons;
• Greater reliance on the "Design Build" concept for infrastructure improvements which shifts responsibility from state employees to private consultants which is more costly to the taxpayer and is wrought with inferior work product and smacks of political patronage. PEF continues to advocate for transparency for the taxpayer which could be achieved through a cost-benefit analysis. This will also be a legislative priority for PEF as the governor vetoed a cost-benefit analysis last year.

We will continue to review the details of the governor's budget proposals as they become available, with an eye toward safeguarding public services to New York.

PEF is the state's second-largest state-employee union, representing approximately 54,000 professional, scientific and technical employees of New York state and other public and private employers. For more information, contact Jane Briggs at 518 785-1900, ext. 225 or on her cellphone at 518-817-1374.