THIS WEEK IN ALBANY CAN BE SUMMED UP IN TWO WORDS: NOT GOOD

Governor Announces State Layoffs

Showing blatant disregard for ongoing contract negotiations with CSEA, Governor Cuomo continued his assault on working families this week by calling for state employee layoffs to begin. The Cuomo administration has said that layoffs of 9,800 state employees will begin on July 15, even as CSEA continues to negotiate in good faith to achieve the $450 million in savings he is demanding from state employees.

OCFS Closures Announced

On Wednesday, the Governor announced he is closing four OCFS facilities and significantly downsizing four others. Full scale closures will affect the Tryon Residential Center in Fulton County, and the Allen, Harriet Tubman, and Industry youth centers in Delaware, Oneida, and Monroe Counties.

Set for downsizing are the Finger Lakes, Highlands, Industry Secure, and Youth Leadership Academy in Tompkins, Ulster, Monroe and Delaware counties.

The total number of layoffs that will take place because of these actions has not been determined.

Governor Issues Tier VI Legislation

Showing no appreciation for the sacrifices already made by working families, the Governor continues to propose legislation that will take from working New Yorkers in order to appease his wealthy campaign contributors. On Wednesday, the Governor released legislation for a Tier VI pension plan that would raise the retirement age to 65, double employee contributions and require them to pay it forever and increase the vesting time from 10 years to 12. It would significantly decrease retirement security for future workers. The proposal comes barely a year after the enactment of the Tier V pension plan that was expected to save the state $35 billion over a 30 year period.

Governor Cuomo Introduces NYSUNY 2020 Legislation

The bill authorizes all SUNY campuses the ability to raise tuition up to five percent annually for five years. It allows the four University Centers in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook to raise their tuition up to an additional three percent tuition increase. The additional revenue would go directly to the campuses. The bill includes the authority for Empire State Development to issue $80 million in capital funding under the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program. This bill does not include public private partnerships or any privatization attempts that CSEA has adamantly opposed.

In the last three years, SUNY has been cut more than any state agency, totaling $585 million. This has been at a time when the need for quality, affordable public universities is going up. With this year’s cut of an additional $100 million for SUNY operating costs, the need for additional revenue for SUNY is paramount. It is for this reason that CSEA supports the need for a tuition increase with safeguards for working class families.

Negotiations between Governor Cuomo and the legislature are underway to try to come up with a deal on a SUNY tuition increase before the end of session.