Tells State to Use Staff More
PEF: Save on Consultants

By MIA GOLDBERG

The Public Employees Federation told reporters in Albany May 8 that the state could save $765 million over three years by replacing private consultants with state employees.

KEN BRYNIEN: 'We do it cheaper and better.'

"Everyone is quick to throw out the popular and overused phrase 'hiring freeze' to solve the state's budget gap," PEF President Ken Brynien said in a statement. "Our report, based on research for the Office of the State Comptroller proves the real savings is in a consultant freeze."

Cheaper to Stay-In-House

Between 2006 and 2007, state agencies employed more than 23,000 private consultants at an estimated cost of $704 million. According to the OSC report, state employees would cost far less, even with their benefits factored in.

A salary comparison by the OSC showed the state Insurance Department pays private consultants $184.29 per hour on average, the highest of any state agency. The average rate for a PEF employee in the same department is $48.48, yet the ratio of private vs. public workers is nearly 4:1.

The plan calls for the elimination roughly 50 percent of private consultants by 2011, with the greatest savings to be gained from replacing information technology, architectural and engineering consultants with public employees. Mr. Brynien said the savings from these three areas alone would account for more than half of the total $765 million in taxpayer savings.

PEF is the state's second-largest state-employee union, representing 58,000 professional, scientific and technical workers.