CSEA, PEF Backing Paterson Plea For Federal Aid Infusion

GOVERNOR PATERSON: Takes case to new President.

The Civil Service Employees Association supports Governor Paterson's quest for Federal aid to ailing state governments, but last week it cautioned the state should not start spending the money just yet.

A $1-trillion request made by Mr. Paterson and several other Governors to President-elect Barack Obama seeks to bail the state out of a $15.4- billion deficit over the next 15 months. The national package is comprised of $650 billion in aid to states and working families for education, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs.

$300B for Infrastructure

The other $350 billion would be earmarked for infrastructure investments to rehabilitate and construct transportation, water, schools, housing and broadband systems.

CSEA spokesman Stephen Madarasz said the state's share of the money if granted would take pressure off Albany, which has lost a considerable amount of tax payments from Wall Street, but cautioned not to "count your chickens before they hatch."

Since the state gives the Federal Government far more in taxes than it receives in aid, Public Employees Federation President Kenneth Brynien said, "Even a small change in the percentage we get back could mean billions for us."

Mr. Paterson of late has sought to trim the cost of the state's workforce by several different means. He has proposed deferring a 3-percent raise for state employees as a way to avoid layoffs, but CSEA and other state unions have said they would not reopen their contracts.

On Dec. 16, he proposed a massive restructuring of state and city pensions, which would require state employees to work seven years longer, until age 62, to collect a full pension. In addition to the pension changes, the state workforce would decrease by more than 3,000 employees next year through at least 521 layoffs, the Governor announced in his Executive Budget.

Mr. Madarasz said more Federal money would have a trickle-down effect by leaving more money available for the state's workforce, minimizing the need for cuts. "Obviously it would relieve a lot of pressure," he said.

Aid 'Desperately Needed'

Mr. Paterson told Mr. Obama New York needed help, stating in a letter, "We were forced to cut virtually every sector of our budget, including, most notably, substantial reductions in health care, education, local government aid, and the state workforce. We are quickly reaching the point where further cuts to vital programs will jeopardize our fundamental responsibility to preserve critical core services to our citizens. Targeted assistance from the federal government is desperately needed."

Mr. Paterson vowed to work with the state's congressional delegation, municipal officials and county leaders to develop a list of their important infrastructure and development priorities to create jobs.

These 1,922 "shovel-ready" projects include transportation, wastewater, clean water, state parks, school construction, higher education construction, affordable housing, broadband, health information technology, energy and green jobs at a cost of more than $11 billion. Mr. Paterson estimated this project could create as many as 351,000 jobs.

CSEA intends to release new radio and television spots in the coming weeks that will put a human face on the pain of budget cuts. It also plans a "March on Main Street" in Albany on the day of Mr. Paterson's Jan. 7 State of the State speech.