January 05, 2009

Under a newly approved policy, Niagara County employees must use any accrued paid leave time (such as sick leave) simultaneously when they take advantage of a federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

December 24, 2008

NY Public Payroll Watch will resume blog posts on January 5. In the meanwhile, check our News Clips section, which will be regularly updated.

December 22, 2008

Suffolk County police officers receive as many as 100 days off a year (not counting weekends), perks that County Executive Steven Levy calls "ridiculous" and blames on the state's binding arbitration law.

December 18, 2008

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, writing in an op-ed, endorses Governor Paterson's pension reform proposal, saying his city cannot afford to "continue to offer the next generation of workers gold-plated pension benefits that even the most successful companies can't afford today".

December 17, 2008

Governor David Paterson has proposed creating a Tier V pension system for newly hired employees, a tepid reform that basically mimics the state's early 1990's pension system--with one twist.

December 16, 2008

Governor David Paterson, who will propose his budget later today, wants to wrest concessions from state employee unions to avoid the need for layoffs, according to a published report.

December 15, 2008

For the past two years, the Public Employment Relations Board has been unable to settle certain collective bargaining disputes, because of a vacancy on the three-member board. The state Senate may end the impasse this week by confirming Sheila S. Cole to the board.

December 12, 2008

The Buffalo Teachers Federation wants a judge to fine the city school district as much as $40 million for unilaterally switching to a single health insurance carrier. But if the union wins, will it cost some teachers their jobs?

December 11, 2008

Administrators in the Katonah-Lewisboro school district have agreed to forgo pay raises in the coming school year.

December 10, 2008

In what could be a wave of the future nationwide, Orange County, California, voters--by a whopping 75 percent majority--approved a ballot measure requiring that all future county pension increases be approved by them.

December 09, 2008

In a rare move that may inspire cash-strapped school districts elsewhere in New York, the Warrensburg Central School District in the Adirondacks has asked its teachers union to renegotiate a contract which does not expire until 2011.

December 08, 2008

Amid data on property assessments and paying parking tickets, the City of Buffalo's web site will soon include the city's entire payroll.

December 05, 2008

Teachers in Montgomery County, Md., have agreed to forgo their 5 percent raise to save Maryland's largest school district $89 million.

December 04, 2008

The Conference of Mayors is calling for an overhaul in the state pension system, including creating a new pension "tier" for employees hired in the future. Unfortunately, while it would marginally curb rising expenses in the future, NYCOM's agenda is not particularly ambitious and does not represent fundamental change.

December 03, 2008

Governor David Paterson has thrown cold water (at least for now) on state employees' dreams of a pre-Christmas retirement incentive.

December 02, 2008

Former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno seems to think he pulled a fast one on taxpayers with his one big concession to "openness" in government.

December 01, 2008

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is yanking car keys from 107 state workers, about 20 percent of those assigned government vehicles they can take home at night.

November 26, 2008

Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy has given performance bonuses--ranging from $2,001 to $5,000--to 295 city managers rather than across-the-board pay raises.

The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, which filed a Freedom of Information Law request to acquire the information, reports that 356 non-unionized city workers were eligible for the one-time "incentive pay".

November 25, 2008

From Buffalo and New York City come reflections on the size of the state workforce. Buffalo News reporter/blogger James Heaney writes:

As I'm watching this train wreck of a state budget crumple like an accordion, I've wondered when any of our fearful leaders in Albany are going to start talking the obvious.

Layoffs.

November 24, 2008

The Paterson administration's order to curtail a program allowing management-confidential employees to cash in five days of unused vacation has an employee organization threatening a lawsuit.

Before the Organization of Management-Confidential Employees files the legal papers, members might want to look at a measure signed into law by Governor Eliot Spitzer on January 28, 2008 (here).

November 21, 2008

Police officers in the town of Ramapo now can take off days without pay to observe their religions.

That means that an Orthodox Jewish rookie and a veteran officer who is a Seventh-day Adventist will not have to work Friday evenings or Saturday when they observe the Sabbath.

November 20, 2008

In Washington County, the board of supervisors is considering closing two popular beaches next summer to reduce the proposed budget. Meanwhile, they are about to vote on a tentative union contract that they refuse to make public until they ratify it.

November 19, 2008

The city of Buffalo and Chautauqua County are refusing to disclose terms of tentative collective bargaining agreements--that could raise local property taxes for years to come--until after the contracts are ratified.

November 18, 2008

The federal government has released its 2007 survey of public sector employment in the states, showing New York localities exceed the national average in the number of government employees per capita.

November 17, 2008

As hospitals fight Governor David Paterson's proposed reductions, (here), the Journal News reports Michael Israel, the CEO of the quasi-public Westchester Medical Center is in line to earn as much as $1.2 million.

November 14, 2008

Instead of the traditional pension sweetener, Governor David Paterson is effectively offering a different kind of incentive to many state workers eligible for retirement: Leave the payroll by December 31, or pay more for post-retirement health insurance if you retire later.

November 13, 2008

Governor David Paterson says New York State cannot afford to give its employees a 3 percent raise in April. But will employee unions be willing to surrender what they won at the bargaining table?

November 12, 2008

The Conference of Mayors kicks off a new web site aimed at persuading Albany of "the dangers of shifting state taxes and costs onto local governments and property taxpayers."

November 11, 2008

School boards and municipalities often keep the public in the dark about tentative contracts with employee unions until after they ratify the contracts, committing taxpayers to millions of dollars of spending over the life of the contracts.

November 10, 2008

Roger Toussaint, president of Transport Workers Union, whose illegal pre-Christmas transit strike in 2005 nearly crippled New York City, has told a judge that his union will not stage a strike when its contract expires in January.

November 07, 2008

Taxpayers in Monroe County spent $1.6 million last year to pay municipal employees for work they performed on behalf of their labor unions, according to the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

November 06, 2008

What changes may be in store now that Democrats have taken over the Senate? For a hint of the answer, consider the "Taylor Law reform" by Joseph Addabbo, who unseated longtime Republican-Conservative Senator Serphin Maltese of Queens.

November 04, 2008

While the mayor is saying New York City agencies must do more with less, the City University board of trustees quietly gave Chancellor Matthew Goldstein a two-year raise of $55,000, which was first made public five weeks after the board approved it.

As he announced a tentative two-year union contract with annual 4 percent raises, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged the city may resort to employee layoffs in the future.

November 03, 2008

While New York City agencies are making plans for possible layoffs in the future, the city is locking down new contracts with its largest unions.

October 31, 2008

From today's Wall Street Journal story about the quickly-going-bankrupt city of Vallejo, California:

October 30, 2008

High energy costs have ignited renewed interest in four-day workweeks. A somewhat skeptical, yet thoughtful, article--"The four-day school week: A fuel's paradise?"--reviews the limited research.

October 29, 2008

Since October 2006 , the state payroll has increased by nearly 8,000 full-time equivalent employees, the Empire Center reports in a print edition of Public Payroll Watch.

October 28, 2008

Despite Governor David Paterson's July 30 "hard" hiring freeze, the state has hired 31,684 employees, the Buffalo News reports.

October 27, 2008

How much has the investment portfolio of the Common Retirement Fund plummeted in recent months? The state comptroller's office won't say, because it doesn't want to "create anxiety".

October 24, 2008

The union that nearly crippled New York City in 2005 with an illegal transit strike got no mercy from an appellate court, which upheld a financial penalty imposed by state Supreme Court Justice Bruce Balter.

October 23, 2008

New York State and its local governments are paying nearly 10 times more for public employee pensions than they did eight years ago, reports NY Fiscal Watch.

October 22, 2008

Instead of reducing property taxes, school districts stockpiled an extra $407 million in a restricted employee benefit fund, according to the state comptroller.

October 21, 2008

While all eyes are on the presidential election, a new report says the nation shouldn't lose sight of the 1.9 million civilian federal workers who will be critical to success of whomever occupies the White House.

October 20, 2008

A federal judge has ruled that New York City public school teachers cannot wear political campaign buttons at work, but he did allow them to hang political literature on union bulletin boards as long as they are not visible to students.

October 17, 2008

Three months after West Genesse School Superintendent Rudolph C. Rubeis announced his retirement, the school board upped the longevity provision in his contract, allowing him to collect an extra $39,000 -- just 11 days before he retired.

October 16, 2008

For employers, one way to reduce employee health insurance costs is to get someone else to pay for it--off loading costs to a business, government university or not-for-profit that employs the spouse of an employee.

October 15, 2008

The American Federation of Teachers, which has endorsed Barack Obama filed a federal lawsuit Friday, seeking to overturn a ban on teachers wearing campaign buttons at public schools.

October 14, 2008

In Rhode Island, state workers were given a choice: retire by September 30 or pay more health insurance benefits when you eventually retire.

October 10, 2008

Citing increased overtime costs, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is ending four-day weeks for 300 park police.

October 09, 2008

Plummeting tax revenues and increasing pension costs are sparking calls from Buffalo to Scarsdale to redesign public pensions for future employees.

October 08, 2008

A bill to address "revolving door" school superintendents--who retire and immediately are rehired by the same school districts--has the state District Attorneys Association urging a veto, because it also would apply to future retired police officers working at district attorney offices.

October 07, 2008

Just days before Governor David Paterson is expected to sign a bill to stiffen penalties for pension fraud, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced three upstate attorneys have agreed to pay $347,000 to settle allegations against them.

October 06, 2008

Having agreed to 4 percent raises for New York City police and other unions, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has raised expectations of a generous pattern deal for unions still negotiating contracts--despite the Wall Street meltdown that's punching a big hole in the city's revenues.

October 03, 2008

Local governments in Georgia, like those in New York, are struggling with red ink. Some are using a financial tool not available to New York municipalities; they are restructuring pension plans for new employees.

October 02, 2008

Hornell parents must change their work schedules once a month so Hornell teachers (protected by their union contract) don't have to change theirs.

October 01, 2008

With a goal of reducing energy consumption and employee commuting costs, the state Department of Environmental Conservation is considering allowing most of its employees the option of working "compressed" four-day weeks twice a month.

September 30, 2008

Governor David Paterson has taken two approaches to the question of how long police officers should be allowed to work, approving a local option, but vetoing a statewide mandate.

September 29, 2008

Full- or part-time? That question may determine whether local elected officials have earned enough credits to qualify for a guaranteed public pension. While requiring more documentation, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's new pension eligibility rules still allow county legislatures, city councils, and town boards to come up with the final answer.

September 26, 2008

Despite a state budget freeze, despite rising property taxes, despite clamor over college costs, Onondaga Community College President Debbie Sydow may pocket a "performance" bonus as big as $37,000.

September 25, 2008

With New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordering city agencies to cut $1.5 billion in spending, this might be the time to rethink a program that, this year alone, will pay $74 million to 1,400 teachers without permanent jobs.

September 24, 2008

Now that the school board has ratified a proposed teachers contract, the Utica City Board of Education has decided it is okay for the people paying for it--Utica property taxpayers-- to see it.

September 23, 2008

Two bills sitting on Governor David Paterson's desk would allow police officers and firefighters to reap huge pensions.

September 22, 2008

Utica City School Superintendent Marilyn Skermont refuses to make public the terms of a proposed teacher contract--until after the school board ratifies it Tuesday.

September 19, 2008

Perhaps it was the federal indictment on Assemblyman Tony Seminario. Or a case of getting religion on the eve of Election Day. Whatever the cause, leaders of the state Legislature now say they favor requiring lawmakers to publicly disclose more about their outside income.

September 18, 2008

Should financial disclosure be limited for unpaid members of government boards and advisory councils? Local governments as diverse as St. Lawrence County and New York City are grappling with that question.

September 17, 2008

While local governments across New York are exploring the possibility of four-day weeks for their employees, the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has rejected the idea.

September 16, 2008

Vallejo, California, is about to become an interesting case study in what happens to municipal union contracts when a city goes bust. Because Vallejo is now bankrupt. Not nearly bankrupt as New York City as in 1975, but officially bankrupt as declared by a federal judge.

September 15, 2008

New York State bars the public from attending collective bargaining sessions between the Governor's Office of Employee Relations and unions representing state government employees--although the negotiations likely will commit taxpayers to hundreds of millions of dollars of spending.

September 12, 2008

Two neighboring states, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are rethinking their long-time practice of providing free state police protection to communities without their own police forces.

New Jersey plans to charge 89 communities nearly $13 million for state police patrols, a service that has been free since 1921, reports Stateline.org, an online publication of the Pew Research Center.

September 11, 2008

Peace officers--with a few as 10 hours of police training--can make warrantless searches and arrests in New York. While the Legislature apparently has no problem with that, Governor David Paterson does.

September 10, 2008

While directing his staff to draft a bill banning public authorities from requiring employees to sign nondisclosure pacts, Governor David Paterson also might want to take a look at severance agreements negotiated by school districts and local governments.

September 09, 2008

The Legislature will get what it says it wants--a taskforce to study health benefits for retired government workers. But the taskforce Governor David Paterson will name won't look like the one he vetoed Friday.

September 08, 2008

With his veto of a union-backed bill, Governor David Paterson has given local governments--and state government itself--the ability to contain growing costs of providing health benefits to their retired employees.

September 05, 2008

Although the Fort Edward school board approved a new labor agreement with its teachers union on June 24, the public has yet to see a copy of the contract.

September 04, 2008

Residents of the East Greenbush Central School District in Rensselaer County may never know why Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Furlong was shown the door last December after four months on the job. However, they now can learn that her severance package was far richer than the district publicly revealed.

September 03, 2008

Free speech apparently is not tolerated by leaders of the union that nearly crippled New York City with an illegal transit strike in 2005.

September 02, 2008

No labor bill generated more controversy this year than a measure on Governor David Paterson's desk that could lead to increased local property taxes for years to come.

August 29, 2008

As schools open, teachers at 30 percent of New York school districts will be working under expired union contracts, but that doesn't mean teachers are going without pay raises.

August 28, 2008

When the Legislature sent him 16 bills designating various local officials as peace officers in 2007, Governor Eliot Spitzer vetoed every one. Now Governor David Paterson must decide the fate of 11 similar bills.

August 27, 2008

With a bill awaiting his signature or veto, Governor David Paterson will decide who gets the final say when disciplining members of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation of the State Police: the superintendent of the State Police or an outside arbitrator.

August 26, 2008

Nurses in the metropolitan New York area might find higher salaries at nonpublic hospitals, but they can't beat the post-retirement health benefits that Westchester County Medical Center offered until recently.

August 25, 2008

The state of Alabama hopes to motivate state employees to lose weight by charging obese employees $25 a month for health insurance that otherwise is free.

August 22, 2008

The Paterson administration put state agencies on notice that there will be few ways to get around its "hard hiring freeze," which also bans promotions, transfers and positions upgrades "unless individually justified."

August 21, 2008

Inmates aren't alone in complaining about prison cuisine.

Peter Renda Sr., a retired New York City corrections officer, says 20 years of jail food--and job stress--led to his heart attack in 2006.

August 20, 2008

Sag Harbor is a picturesque old whaling village on the eastern end of Long Island. Its school district has only 870 students and 187 employees. When the district needed an interim administrator, it hired a familiar face, a retired principal of the high school.

August 19, 2008

New York State's attorney general or comptroller may not have the last word on whether a school district attorney, accountant or physician is an outside contractor, who thus is not qualified for government pension benefits.

A little federal agency known as the Internal Revenue Service may have a different opinion.

August 18, 2008

Coming two days in advance of an "emergency" legislative session that he called to deal with a looming $6.4 budget shortfall, the timing of Governor David Paterson's tentative contract deal with the State Police Benevolent Association (PBA) is an eyebrow-raiser, to say the least.

August 15, 2008

Ninety-two of the 100 highest compensated state employees in 2007 worked for the State University of New York, according to an analysis by the Gannett News Service.

August 14, 2008

New York State United Teachers sent $2.3 million to local teachers unions on the eve of school budget votes this spring, according to the New York Public Interest Research Group.

August 13, 2008

Even after the ink is long dry on divorce papers, some government workers illegally continue to list former wives, husbands and stepchildren as dependents on their health insurance policies.

August 12, 2008

With New Yorkers marrying, divorcing and remarrying, entering and exiting domestic partnerships, having kids and acquiring step kids who later become ex-step kids, it can't be an easy job to keep track of who legitimately qualifies to get state employee health benefits under family coverage plans.

August 11, 2008

In the latest effort to make public records accessible to the public, the Buffalo News posted annual pensions for retired teachers, using data from the New York State Teachers Retirement System.

August 08, 2008

Governor David Paterson has vetoed a series of potentially costly bills sought by public employee unions.

August 07, 2008

With the state facing a $6.4 billion deficit next year, a Buffalo TV station asks, "Should cuts by state lawmakers start with their own staff?"

August 06, 2008

Trolling through the SeeThroughNY.net website, a reporter for the Schenectady Daily Gazette discovered the chairman of the Schenectady County Republican Party has a part-time patronage job in the Assembly.

August 05, 2008

Legislative sponsors say a bill to extend binding arbitration will have no fiscal impact, but then why are downstate judicial employees so eager to have Governor Paterson sign the measure?

Likewise, why are unionized employees of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority pushing a similar bill?

August 04, 2008

Governor David Paterson's ability to save money by restructuring the state workforce would be hindered by a union-backed bill that has hit his desk.

August 01, 2008

The Empire Center's new SeeThroughNY.net transparency site bogged down under the impact of more than 40,000 unique "hits" in less than 24 hours after it was released at noon on Thursday--and many of the initial searches came from state workers, according to our web statistics.

July 31, 2008

Today about noon, the Empire Center for New York State Policy will unveil a government transparency project. In a word, it's awesome.

Despite having access to insider information, NY Public Payroll Watch will respect the news embargo. All this secrecy about transparency is rather amusing

For the scoop, check the Empire Center's website (here) this afternoon. We'll also link to the site here.

July 30, 2008

Whenever a New York governor talks about budget deficits--a too frequent occurrence during past 35 years--state workers get the jitters.

In a statewide speech Tuesday, Paterson said he is calling the Legislature to Albany to "an emergency economic session" on August 19.

July 29, 2008

Responding to news stories about private attorneys earning government pension credit for advising school districts, the Legislature approved such a narrow solution that it doesn't apply to Newsday's latest revelation: attorneys listed on fire district payrolls.

July 28, 2008

After offering reasons to veto it, Governor David Paterson signed a bill giving public employees an extra half day of paid leave annually for breast or prostate cancer screening.

In doing so, however, he fired a warning: expect a veto next time.

July 25, 2008

In the village of Port Chester and the Cambridge Central School District, taxpayers will be paying for severance packages for departing executives--as well as salaries of their replacements.

July 24, 2008

No more negotiating at the bargain table. No more lobbying the Legislature. Public employee unions won big time Thursday when Governor David Paterson signed into law a measure that means the unions will never worry about collecting millions of dollars of agency shop fees from nonunion members.

July 23, 2008

To sign or to veto? That is the question. In an unusual move, Governor David Paterson issued a press release soliciting additional advice on what action he should take today on a bill granting state and local government workers four hours of paid leave annually for breast and prostate cancer screening.

July 22, 2008

In 1736--a good forty years before he helped draft the Declaration of Independence--Benjamin Franklin was putting out fires in Philadelphia, where he founded an all-volunteer fire company. Today Americans are still debating the best way to fight fires.

July 21, 2008

When government officials in New York and public employee unions sit down to negotiate labor contracts, the public is shut out. That's not the case in seven states: Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas.

July 18, 2008

Today as Joe Bruno rides into the sunset, to borrow his phrase, he can ride high in the saddle with an annual pension of approximately $95,000--only $8,000 less than his take-home pay (after state and FICA taxes) when he was the $120,500-a-year Senate majority leader.

July 17, 2008

School districts must search aggressively for a new superintendent before they can hire a retired superintendent as a temporary replacement, under new Department of Education regulations.

July 16, 2008

Labor unions would be required to disclose the benefits paid individual union officers and employees, under regulations being considered by the U.S. Department of Labor.

July 15, 2008

Public employee unions are a step closer to realizing a long-time dream: a guarantee they will continue to receive millions of dollars annually from public employees who chose not to join labor unions.

July 14, 2008

NY Public Payroll Watch will resume July 15.

July 11, 2008

Dear Boss:

Although I enjoy writing this blog, I fantasize about becoming a Nassau County employee. After only five years on the county payroll, I'd get health benefits for life. Can you match that?

Lise

July 10, 2008

This site recently posed the question: "Will Governor David Paterson say "yes" to a union-giveaway that Governors Eliot Spitzer, George Pataki and Mario Cuomo vetoed eight times?"

July 09, 2008

Scorched by criticism of their agreement giving firefighters a 41 percent raise over five years, village of Johnson City nevertheless has turned down an offer by the Broome County to help with further labor negotiations.

July 08, 2008

Our nominee for the Most Generous Public Sector Contract in New York State for 2008--granted the year is only half over--goes to a financially struggling village in the Southern Tier.

July 07, 2008

More state agencies have outlined plans to reduce their workforces in response to Governor Paterson's order to reduce state operations spending by 3.35 percent.

July 03, 2008

July 02, 2008

The economy is tanking. Consumer confidence is plunging. Property taxpayers are screaming. But you wouldn't know it from recent teachers' contracts in New York State.

July 01, 2008

Knowing their old job is waiting for them can provide a psychological boost to employees recovering from workplace injuries, but how long should a government employer be required to keep their positions unfilled?

June 30, 2008

Volunteer firefighters would be able to purchase health insurance at a reduced cost, under a measure approved by the Legislature.

June 27, 2008

Will Governor David Paterson say "yes" to a union-giveaway that Governors Eliot Spitzer, George Pataki and Mario Cuomo vetoed eight times?

June 26, 2008

In an end-of-session sweetheart deal, the Legislature gave public employee unions a gift that keeps on giving. By making the agency shop fee permanent, lawmakers assure unions a steady flow of revenue for years to come.

June 25, 2008

Public employee unions could veto any attempt to alter retiree health benefits--even if a government employer found a way to offer the same benefits for less money, under a bill passed Tuesday by both houses of the Legislature.

June 24, 2008

A bill intended to crack down on "double dipping" by school districts attorneys and retired school superintendents sailed through both houses of the Legislature--only three days after it was introduced.

June 23, 2008

If history is any indication, you can't count on the Legislature to wrap up business time to adjourn today. However, you can expect it to pass pension sweeteners before leaving Albany.

June 20, 2008

The mandatory retirement age for local cops and firefighters would be raised to 65 from 62, allowing officers to collect pensions of up to 67 percent of their final average salary, under a bill that has passed both houses of the Legislature.

June 19, 2008

A bill allowing New York City government workers to retire early would cost:

a) $200 million.
b) Zip.
c) $68 million.

June 18, 2008

As the legislators jam through hundreds of bills in preparation for Monday's exodus, even seasoned veterans concede it's tough to keep score on which bills remain alive and kicking.

June 17, 2008

Legislative staffers would be eligible for overtime pay under a bill now in Assembly committee. The bill memo states:

June 16, 2008

Measures aimed at keeping convicted felons out of New York classrooms are so narrowly drawn they would not automatically boot teachers convicted of bank robbery, arson or even murder.

June 13, 2008

A court decision dealing with the disciplining of unionized cops and firefighters has prompted a legislative proposal that would have far wider implications for all public employees, including teachers.

June 12, 2008

The latest version the "Trojan Horse" bill--introduced Tuesday--is crafted to lock in the health benefits of only a select group of retirees: former police officers and firefighters.

The strategy appears to be that if you're having trouble sneaking a giant wooden horse undetected through the gates of Troy (or Legislature), try a smaller horse.

June 11, 2008

Danny Donohue is listed on the state payroll as a motor vehicle operator, Kenneth Brynien as a psychologist and Larry Flanagan, Jr. as a corrections officer.

June 10, 2008

The Senate Republican Majority's plan to "rein in runaway spending" at school districts, announced in a news release Monday, would put a bright new spotlight on the salaries and benefits of school administrators--but only administrators.

June 09, 2008

Despite a spate of recent news reports about "double dipping," (here, here and here) state lawmakers want to make it easier for government retirees to collect both pensions and paychecks.

June 06, 2008

With marching orders from Governor David Paterson to cut spending, all but one of the first 23 agencies submitting plans will reduce their workforce by attrition.

June 05, 2008

While its bold plan for a cap on school property taxes earned it headlines this week, the Suozzi Commission deserves to be recognized as the first gubernatorial commission to propose amending the Taylor Law since the Triborough Amendment was enacted in 1982.

June 04, 2008

Tuesday's New York Times featured a front-page story that cast a harsh light on the Legislature's history of approving pension bills based on cost estimates by actuary Jonathan Schwartz. Turns out those bills cost $500 million more than Schwartz estimated, the Times reported.

June 03, 2008

Expensive health benefits for retired state and local government employees virtually will be locked in place by a bill on today's agenda of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Employees.

June 02, 2008

Early detection of cancer saves lives. Having said that, let's consider pending bills to give government employees in New York additional leave time to be screened for breast, prostate, colon and cervical cancer.

May 30, 2008

Can a police chief regulate drinking by his officers during the hours just before they go on duty--without first negotiating the rule with the police union?

May 29, 2008

For public employees in New York, "working without a contract" does not mean foregoing annual pay raises. Under the Triborough amendment to the state Taylor Law, unionized workers continue to receive "step" increases in pay, as explained in more detail in the Empire Center's Taylor Made study.

May 28, 2008

When it comes to counting pension credits, the state retirement system allows local governments (i.e., elected officials themselves) to decide whether local elected officials should be considered full or part-time employees.

May 27, 2008

You might wonder how George M. Philip--who has a demanding job as interim president of the University at Albany--has time to serve as a $100,000 consultant to his former employer, the Teachers Retirement System.

May 23, 2008

Amid controversy over private attorneys collecting government pensions and the revolving door careers of school superintendents, state politicians and the education department are seeking solutions.

Saying "the system is broken and it has to change," Attorney General Andrew Coumo was joined by a couple of state legislators at a hearing Thursday in Riverhead focusing on ways outside attorneys and retired school superintendents game the state retirement system. As the Times Union reports, legisalators condemned the controversial pension practices:

May 21, 2008

If New York lawyers are convicted of a felony, they automatically are disbarred. But public school teachers convicted of a felony do not automatically lose their teaching credentials.

If private sector employees are injured, they collect workers' compensation and disability insurance, but are barred from suing their employers. Not true for employees of state and local governments.

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