Rochester, N.Y.-- Former Rochester Mayor and Lieutenant Governor Robert J. Duffy today traveled to Roberts Wesleyan College in suburban Rochester to present the 2011-2012 Executive Budget message. The budget proposal, unveiled by Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier this week, touts that it will attempt to transform the state budget process to conform to fiscal realities and eliminates a $10 billion dollar deficit without raising taxes or borrowing.
It is incumbent on all union represented public workers to educate themselves on the Governor's talking points and budget proposals.
"Governor Cuomo and I are visiting communities across New York to talk about this budget and explain how it gets New York back on the right track," Lt. Governor Duffy said. "The Governor's blueprint calls for an end to a decades-old budget process rooted in numbers games and artificial growth. Moving forward, spending decisions will be made based on program need and performance. This will be achieved by maximizing efficiencies in state government we can balance the budget without raising taxes and set New York on a path to recovery."
Among many topics covered in his presentation, Duffy talked about reducing the size of state government and consolidating state agencies.
Here is a partial transcript of his speech:
To help redesign and transform government, Governor Cuomo has created the Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission. As part of this effort, Governor Cuomo has directed the Commission to make recommendations to reduce the number of agencies, authorities, and commissions by 20 percent over the long term. The SAGE Commission is directed to submit to the Governor a rightsizing plan to reduce the number of agencies by May 1, 2011. Under legislation proposed by the Governor, the Governor would then submit the rightsizing plan to the Legislature for action with the plan going into effect pursuant to a resolution of the Legislature.
Redesigning and Rightsizing State Government:
The Governor's budget proposal reduces General Fund State Operations spending by 10 percent at State agencies. Commissioners and agency heads will be instructed to maximize savings in non-personal services. To achieve the rest of the savings, the Governor intends to seek a partnership with the State employee labor unions to seek savings in personal service spending in a way that causes the least disruption to State employees while ensuring the continued provision of necessary services for the citizens of New York. Management employees would also contribute to these savings. If workforce saving cannot be accomplished jointly, as a last resort up to 9,800 layoffs would be necessary. Contracts covering the vast majority of State employees are up for renewal at the outset of the 2011-12 State fiscal year.
Merging and Consolidating State Agencies:
The Executive Budget proposes to merge or consolidate 11 separate State entities into four agencies to streamline and eliminate duplicative bureaucracy, better align State responsibilities with need and improve services through superior coordination. Proposals include merging the Banking and Insurance departments and the Consumer Protection Board into a new Department of Financial Regulation; merging the Department of Correctional Services and the Division of Parole into the new Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; consolidating the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, the Office of Victim Services and the State Commission of Correction into the Division of Criminal Justice Services; and consolidating the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation into the Empire State Development Corporation.
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| NY Lt. Gov. Duffy and Gov. Cuomo are presently touring the Empire State. (photo provided) |
Rochester, N.Y.-- Former Rochester Mayor and Lieutenant Governor Robert J. Duffy today traveled to Roberts Wesleyan College in suburban Rochester to present the 2011-2012 Executive Budget message. The budget proposal, unveiled by Governor Andrew Cuomo earlier this week, touts that it will attempt to transform the state budget process to conform to fiscal realities and eliminates a $10 billion dollar deficit without raising taxes or borrowing.
It is incumbent on all union represented public workers to educate themselves on the Governor's talking points and budget proposals.
"Governor Cuomo and I are visiting communities across New York to talk about this budget and explain how it gets New York back on the right track," Lt. Governor Duffy said. "The Governor's blueprint calls for an end to a decades-old budget process rooted in numbers games and artificial growth. Moving forward, spending decisions will be made based on program need and performance. This will be achieved by maximizing efficiencies in state government we can balance the budget without raising taxes and set New York on a path to recovery."
Among many topics covered in his presentation, Duffy talked about reducing the size of state government and consolidating state agencies.
Here is a partial transcript of his speech:
To help redesign and transform government, Governor Cuomo has created the Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission. As part of this effort, Governor Cuomo has directed the Commission to make recommendations to reduce the number of agencies, authorities, and commissions by 20 percent over the long term. The SAGE Commission is directed to submit to the Governor a rightsizing plan to reduce the number of agencies by May 1, 2011. Under legislation proposed by the Governor, the Governor would then submit the rightsizing plan to the Legislature for action with the plan going into effect pursuant to a resolution of the Legislature.
Redesigning and Rightsizing State Government:
The Governor's budget proposal reduces General Fund State Operations spending by 10 percent at State agencies. Commissioners and agency heads will be instructed to maximize savings in non-personal services. To achieve the rest of the savings, the Governor intends to seek a partnership with the State employee labor unions to seek savings in personal service spending in a way that causes the least disruption to State employees while ensuring the continued provision of necessary services for the citizens of New York. Management employees would also contribute to these savings. If workforce saving cannot be accomplished jointly, as a last resort up to 9,800 layoffs would be necessary. Contracts covering the vast majority of State employees are up for renewal at the outset of the 2011-12 State fiscal year.
Merging and Consolidating State Agencies:
The Executive Budget proposes to merge or consolidate 11 separate State entities into four agencies to streamline and eliminate duplicative bureaucracy, better align State responsibilities with need and improve services through superior coordination. Proposals include merging the Banking and Insurance departments and the Consumer Protection Board into a new Department of Financial Regulation; merging the Department of Correctional Services and the Division of Parole into the new Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; consolidating the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, the Office of Victim Services and the State Commission of Correction into the Division of Criminal Justice Services; and consolidating the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation into the Empire State Development Corporation.
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