Breaking: Paterson proposes furlough days for thousands of state workers
As the budget stalemate continues, Governor David Paterson is ramping up the pressure on lawmakers. And he’s using state workers to make the squeeze.
In a statement issued a short time ago, Paterson said that he would force state workers to stay home one day a week — effectively a 20% pay cut — until the state budget is passed.
“I have sought to work with the State’s public employee unions in order to help achieve the savings needed to address our State’s historic budget deficit, but, thus far, they have been unwilling to do what is necessary,” Governor Paterson said.
“The State is facing fiscal and cash crises of unprecedented magnitude, and I am being forced to implement difficult actions such as this in order to put our State on the path to recovery.”
The Governor and his executive team have warned that the state will run out of cash in June.
Yet the budget impasse continues in Albany, with no sign of serious negotiations getting underway.
Paterson says critical services — including state police and corrections officers — won’t be affected by his furlough plan.
Here’s the rest of the Governor’s announcement:
Employees will not come to work on their furlough day and will not be paid for their furlough day. Employees would not be allowed to charge their accruals to offset this salary reduction and agencies would not be able to use overtime to make up for loss of productivity.
Public Health and Safety would not be jeopardized. The Budget Director would designate positions providing direct care or certain security services as “essential” and the employees serving in those positions would not be furloughed.
Examples include: Correction Officer; Nurse; and, State Trooper. Management/Confidential employees will also not be subject to the furlough, since, unlike union employees, their scheduled general salary increase has been eliminated in each of the last two years.
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This is an excellent idea, if he can pull it off. Not likely.
The current rolling fiscal disater could have been eliminated or significantly reduced had State workers accepted deferral or reduction of their pay raises.
I suspect that many individual public employees would have been willing to accept some reductions (as have several local teacher unions) , but large public employee unions are hard-wired never to compromise on wages, benefits, or job security, and public intereset be damned. Furloughs might save the state from disaster, or even lead to reopened contracts.
We all need to give up a little in this time of crisis, and it is sad to see that so few are willing to do so.
(I am a retired teacher, receieving a State pension and Social Security I would accept a temporary reduction or deferral in these if I was certain the money saved would be honestly and fairly used to combat our fiscal emergency.)
Darn it. I admire Patterson. He’s dead meat, but he’s fighting.
The problem isn’t going to be solved by furloughs or layoffs. The problems will only be solved when our Legislature grows up and start acting like adults that have to live within their means.
What is, “acting like adults” Be specific. What do you want them to do? Weed out waste? How?
But if we cut the budget we won’t be re-elected.
Bob- How? How about by a line by line audit of the State Budget with the goal of eliminating waste, fraud, duplication and excess? How about seeing what your revenue is and living within that amount? How about consolidating agencies with similar responsibility? How about eliminating PORK from the budget? How about setting goals of reducing State employees by 10% a year through attrition and retirement? How about renegotiating contracts with Unions, or at least TRYING to do so?
How about the biggest thing- How about working towards the good of the State instead of working towards power, money and never ending re-election?
How about seeing what your revenue is and living within that amount?
I assume by cutting the number of public employees. Which ones? Across the board? Public employers can make these cuts now. They do not need new contracts.
How about eliminating PORK from the budget?
One persons “pork” is another persons staple.
How about the biggest thing- How about working towards the good of the State instead of working towards power, money and never ending re-election.
What one person thinks is noble and for the good of the state another finds wastefull and inefficient
So we can’t do anything Bob? Oh, well okay then. We’ll just sit calmly as the bus goes off the cliff since trying to steer us back onto the road might mean we have to brush up against a few people.
Sorry but as I said in a another post- we do things the hard way or the really, really, really hard way.
I have been a State worker for 26 years, bridge maint. in summer and snow plow driver in winter. I can tell you stories(true) that would make the taxpayers of New York want to move to a different state! It’s a hey day out there for the so called politicians that we (meaning in good faith) elected. Wasted materials, lack of knowledge, too many bosses, (upper level) lack of on the job experience, enjoying the benefits; do you want me to keep going! The answer from our so called Legislators is cut back or take away from the common worker (furloughs, no overtime, hold raises from contract signed three years ago). According to Albany and it’s Legislators it is our fault (the tax payer and “non essential worker”) Give me a $130,00 salary a year plus an expense account and yes then I’ll give up my 4% raise making a yearly salary of $48,000. At that I’ll let you (the taxpayer) decide.