As the calendar turned to May, there is still no sign of a state budget deal.
With lawmakers in Albany still seemingly far apart over key issues to help plug the $9.2 billion budget gap that the state currently faces, Governor David Paterson announced on Tuesday, May 4 that he would include language authorizing state employee furloughs directly within his next round of proposed emergency appropriations bills should an agreement not be reached.
“I have repeatedly called upon the state public employee unions to work with me to achieve critical workforce savings,” Paterson said in a statement “Because unions have not accepted any proposals to achieve necessary savings, I am left with no other choice but to move forward with this plan. I do not take this action lightly, but it is necessary given the unions unwillingness to make any sacrifices and I will do whatever is necessary to protect New York’s finances."
Under the Governor’s proposal, state agency commissioners will be given the discretion to schedule one furlough day for each of their employees during the week of May 17. Employees will not come to work on their furlough day and will not be paid for their furlough day. Employees would not be allowed to charge their accruals to offset this salary reduction and agencies would not be able to use overtime to make up for loss of productivity.
It is not clear whether the State Legislature, which has traditionally been a good friend to unions, would approve the furloughs if presented in emergency extenders.
Meanwhile, the lack of a state budget is already being felt in New York City where Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to announce his Executive Budget on Thursday, May 6.
“It throws the process into disarray,” said Bloomberg spokesperson Marc LaVorgna. “We are going to have to make assumptions on how much money will be available, and if we have to change what we can afford to pay for later on – at schools, at police precincts, at fire houses – it could have serious impacts.”
The state budget was supposed to be approved by April 1 and lawmakers have been meeting in Albany during the week to try to come up with agreements to close the gap. Paterson has threatened to keep the lawmakers in the capital if they do not reach a deal soon.
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