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State budget proposal includes smart investments, concerns for services
ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed $168 billion 2018-19 New York State Budget includes proposals that will help the state weather uncertain support from the federal government, but fails to go far enough to protect all New Yorkers.
A major aspect driving the state budget is the effect of federal
tax reform on New York, and the expected cuts to federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to help pay for the tax cuts. The new tax law also caps the deductibility of state and local taxes for many New Yorkers.
The proposed state budget contains $1 billion in new revenue
to help close the $4 billion budget deficit, including a sales tax on internet purchases (with a portion of this tax going to local governments), taxes on opiates (with revenues going to fight the opioid epidemic), vaping liquid and health insurers.
The revenues will offset additional cuts to state agencies and local government aid, both of which
were essentially held flat under the governor’s plan.
“The governor’s revenue proposals are a step in the right direction,” CSEA President Danny Donohue said. “The revenues are
a smart way to help balance the budget and protect public services from devastating funding cuts. State agencies and local governments have been doing more with less every year, and more
cuts would mean
more harm to
the New Yorkers
who need these
services the most.”
These New
Yorkers include
many indigent,
poor and
uninsured people
who receive health
care at one at
the state’s three
safety-net, State University of New York (SUNY) hospitals. The budget includes eliminating the $78.6 million subsidy to the SUNY hospitals and instead provides the same level of capital funding to the facilities.
This shift would endanger the
hospitals’ ability to continue to provide health care to all who need services. We will work to get the subsidies restored.
“It is unconscionable that the state would walk away from its responsibility to provide funding for a major public provider of health care,” Donohue said. “The people
these hospitals serve need our help the most.”
We are
also strongly concerned
about the state’s proposals for mental health care and juvenile justice.
In the state Office of Mental Health (OHM), the
budget cuts 275 full-time equivalent positions through attrition and allows the reduction of up to 400 state-operated inpatient beds.
“Eliminating direct care staff and reducing the capacity for mental health facilities to care for those with
mental illness makes it harder for them to receive services,” Donohue said.
The budget also proposes closing the state Office of Children and Family Services’ (OCFS) Ella McQueen Reception Center in Brooklyn with only 30 days notice instead of the required one-year notification.
The center, which serves as a
port of entry for youths headed to non-secure and limited secure OCFS facilities, provides testing and other critical services needed to provide youths with the services they need. We oppose the closure, as well as the 30-day notice.
As The Work Force went to press, CSEA was providing testimony to state lawmakers about the budget proposal.
“This is a tough budget year and we credit the state for looking at solutions other than further cuts to already-stretched public services, but there is much work to be done,” Donohue said. “We will work to ensure that this state budget is fair for everyone.”
Governor’s 2018-19 New York State Budget proposal, by the numbers:
$168 Governor’s budget
$769 million
proposed increase for K-12 education aid.
DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH DOH
381New full-time equivalent Department of Health positions.
$7 million
Proposed increase for child care funding.
$78.6 million
Amount of proposed eliminated subsidies to the state’s SUNY hospitals.
400 Office
of Mental Health inpatient beds that the agency would be allowed to cut.
total billion state
XXXXXXX
275 proposed reductions of full-time equivalent Office of Mental Health positions.
OMH OMH OMH OMH OMH OMH OMH
$715 million
Total for aid to local governments.
DMV DMV
89 New Department of Motor Vehicles positions.
70 New Department of Transportation positions for snow and ice removal.
February 2018
The Work Force 3
“This is a tough budget year and we credit
the state for looking
at solutions other
than further cuts to already-stretched public services, but there is much work to be done.”