Page 3 - Work Force February 2016

Budget billions don’t add up
ALBANY — CSEA is blasting the misplaced priorities outlined in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s State of the State message and proposed state budget.
The budget makes plenty of room for grandiose infrastructure projects that seek to inflate the administration’s
reputation,
but leaves out
the necessary
funding for
public programs
that serve our
most vulnerable
citizens.
“Gov. Andrew
Cuomo used
a big show to
make his case
that New York
is on the move.
Billions are proposed to move our state forward, but too many New Yorkers are being left behind,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue.
The budget also shortchanges
localities, increases public employee retiree health care costs and continues wasteful corporate welfare and economic development schemes that fail to produce the jobs they promise.
The proposed $145 billion spending plan is
more about big- ticket spending
for political pet projects and less about investing in the daily needs of the peoplewho live here.
For example, flawed plans and inadequate funding in mental health and developmental disabilities
programs have long rankled CSEA. They not only hurt people in need, but also create challenging working conditions for CSEA members
in those fields and create social
and financial upheaval in local communities. There are more people receiving mental health services in local jails than in state psychiatric centers and the cost is shifted to already hard-pressed local taxpayers because of the state’s irresponsibility.
While shortchanging our cities and neighborhoods on state
aid, the Cuomo administration has repeatedly pushed a local
government consolidation plan. Citizens have often voted down consolidations in the past because of valid concerns about loss of accountability, and a reduced ability to meet the needs of the people those governments are tasked to serve. Fiscal experts from the left and right agree that consolidation will provide little, if any, savings for taxpayers.
“Gov. Andrew Cuomo used a big show to make his case that New York is on the move. Billions are proposed to move our state forward, but too many New Yorkers are being left behind.”
Fight for $15 a welcome bright spot
Abright spot in the governor’s agenda for the coming session is a proposal to raise the minimum wage to $15 for
all workers.
and as a message to other elected officials to follow suit.
the minimum wage has a ripple effect through the workforce and consistently strengthens the economy as a whole.
When people have more money in their paycheck, it is likely to be spent in local communities.
Fight for $15
Decades of research have shown that raising
Last fall,
the governor
announced
an executive
action to phase
in an increase
to a $15
minimum for
state employees. CSEA had called on the governor to do so and his action was welcome for those who would immediately benefit from it
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February 2016
The Work Force 3