Saturday, May 26, 2012
Weekly Address: Honoring Our Fallen Heroes This Memorial Day
President Obama pays tribute to our men and women in uniform who have died in service to our country.
'She Put Protecting the People of the State of New York Before All Else'
Statement from Governor Andrew Cuomo on the Death of State Trooper Amanda Anna
"I send my condolences to the family and friends of State Trooper Amanda Anna who died early this morning as a result of injuries sustained from a tragic car accident last night while on duty in Oswego County. She was just 31 years old. For the six years that Trooper Anna served as a member of the State Police, she put protecting the people of the State of New York before all else. In addition to her family and friends, Trooper Anna leaves behind a fiancé – who also serves as a member of the State Police – and a four year old child. They are both in our thoughts and prayers. New York is a safer state as a result of Trooper Anna's commitment and dedication, and we mourn her untimely passing."
Details on the death of State Trooper Amanda Ana available here: Oswego County Today
Details on the death of State Trooper Amanda Ana available here: Oswego County Today
Photo courtesy of http://oswegocountytoday.com
Friday, May 25, 2012
War and PTSD: A Former Marine Speaks Out
"I Had a Friend....Who Served With Me, Bled With Me....Who Killed Himself... Months After He Got Out of the Marine Corps"
Former U.S. Marine sergeant Bob Cuba, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, discusses the suicide of a fellow Marine and his endless and painful battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
This video was posted Memorial Day weekend of 2010, and it is being posted again because thousands of men and women who proudly serve or have served in our nation's Armed Forces are still battling Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), including Sgt. Cuba.
As Memorial Day approaches, From The G-Man salutes all those who fought and died for this great nation and hopes that all U.S. service members in distress will watch this video and follow the advice of Sgt. Cuba. You are not alone, and there are people and resources to help you and your loved ones deal with PTSD.
Note: Enlarge screen or click on "gear wheel" if the video is not clear.
Note: Enlarge screen or click on "gear wheel" if the video is not clear.
West Wing Week: 5/25/12
This week, the President announced a major new initiative on food security, hosted the G8 and NATO summits, gave the commencement addresses in Joplin, Missouri and at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and traveled to Iowa to urge Congress to act on the "To Do List," invest in clean energy, and extend the Production Tax Credit that has bipartisan support.
The Power of the Pen: Bills Signed Into Law
Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 4045 and H.R. 4967
On Friday, May 25, 2012, the President signed
into law:
H.R. 4045, which authorizes a modification to
the award of Post‑Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence administrative
absence days for certain members of the reserve components; and
H.R. 4967, the "Temporary Bankruptcy
Judgeships Extension Act of 2012," which extends authority to fill
vacancies in temporary offices of bankruptcy judges in certain Federal judicial
districts.
Iran Talks End in Stalemate
Sources:AlJazeeraTheTelegraphFoxNews
TheNewYorkTimes
By Matt Picht
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
New Orleans to be Largest City Without Daily Newspaper
Sources:CNNForbesPoynterOnlineTwitter
By Joe Chiodo
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Mortgage Rates Hit Record Low
Sources:NECNCNNFoxBusinessCNBC
By Christina Hartman
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Warren, Brown Neck and Neck in Mass. Senate Race
Sources:NECNWCVBWHDH
TheChristianScienceMonitorPolitico
By Christina Hartman
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Obama Calls on Congress to Invest in Clean Energy
President Obama urges Congress to act on the “To Do List,” specifically highlighting the need to invest in clean energy by extending and expanding tax credits that support clean energy manufacturing.
SWC Honors Jerry Bruckheimer
Pictured left to right: Rabbi Marvin Hier, SWC Dean and Founder; Jerry Bruckheimer; CSI Miami star, Emily Proctor; Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO Dreamworks Animation & SWC Trustee; Ron Meyer, NBC Universal Studios Chief & SWC Trustee; Rabbi Meyer May, SWC Execitive Director and David O’Connor Creative Artist Agency Managing Partner. Dinner chairs not pictured, Disney Chief Bob Iger and CBS Chief Les Moonves.
Photo: Marissa Roth (Click photo to enlarge.)
Medals of Valor Also Awarded to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Astronaut Mark Kelly, Holocaust Survivor Elisabeth Mann and Members of the Tuskegee Airmen
The following comment and photos were provided by the Simon Wiesensthal Center (SWC).
"I know I am privileged to stand here tonight because my parents were fortunate enough to immigrate to the United States before the Second World War. They were lucky to get out of Germany when they did, because several of my mother’s brothers and sisters did not survive Hitler. My parents never forgot the safety and freedom, which their new country allowed them, and neither have I."
“To be honored by such an extraordinary organization as the Simon Wiesenthal Center is deeply moving and very humbling. The Center’s worldwide defenses of human rights, and its remarkable Museums of Tolerance in Los Angeles and New York, are powerful tools against Anti-Semitism and racial hatred of every kind….” - Jerry Bruckheimer, film and television producer accepting the SWC’s 2012 Humanitarian Award for his support of the Wiesenthal Center, its Museum of Tolerance and other humanitarian causes.
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, received Medals of Valor.
Holocaust survivor Elisabeth Mann, who, following her liberation from Auschwitz, became a beloved teacher and mentor to fellow teenagers and children who, like her, lost their families to the Nazis.
Holocaust survivor Elisabeth Mann, who, following her liberation from Auschwitz, became a beloved teacher and mentor to fellow teenagers and children who, like her, lost their families to the Nazis.
Members of the Tuskegee Airmen are pictured with their awards. The all-Black squad of American pilots and crews courageously fought for the U.S. in WW II despite facing racism and segregation at home.
Carney Gives Senate Republicans an 'F' on Student Loan Interest Rate Vote
"It’s Time to Get This Done So Hard Working Students Get a Fair Shot at an Affordable Education"
The following statement was issued today by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney.
With only 37 days left to stop student loan
interest rates from doubling on July 1, Senate Republicans still have not
proven that they’re serious about resolving this problem. For the second
time this month, they voted to ask millions of students to pay an average of
$1,000 each rather than close a loophole that allows the very wealthy to avoid
paying their fair share. Now is not the time to refight old political
battles, and certainly not the time to cut preventive health care measures.
With only a few days left until student loan interest rates double, it’s
time to get this done so hard working students get a fair shot at an affordable
education.
Hal Jackson, WBLS Radio Legend, Dead at 97
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Was First African-American Inducted Into the National Radio Hall of Fame
The New York community is mourning the death of legendary radio broadcaster Harold "Hal" Jackson, who co-founded Inner City Broadcasting and helped launch the landmark, urban-contemporary radio station WBLS, 107.5 FM.
Jackson died on May 23 at an area hospital, according to the vice president and general manager of the station, Deon Levingston.
A Huffington
Post article notes, "In 1995, Jackson became the first African-American to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame."
Details on the life of Hal Jackson is available here: New
York Daily News
Photo courtesy of http://newblackman.blogspot.com
Department of Defense to Host Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony
Event Will Be Held at Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta will host a
ceremony on Monday, May 28, 2012, at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the
National Mall in Washington, D.C., to thank and honor America's Vietnam
Veterans on behalf of a grateful nation.
The ceremony will serve as a public kickoff of
efforts to partner with communities across the United States. Invited
guests include thousands of Vietnam Veterans, their loved ones, Gold Star
families and leadership from the military services, Cabinet and Congress.
There will be a limited viewing area open to the general public.
The Memorial Day ceremony marks the beginning of
the national commemoration of the Vietnam War's 50th anniversary program and is
a joint effort between the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the National Park
Service and the Department of Defense (DoD).
The event will include remarks, a moment of
silence, music and ceremonial elementsthat will begin at 1 p.m. EDT.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
General Martin Dempsey, Secretary of Defense and Senator Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam
Veteran, and other dignitaries are scheduled to speak.
The DoD Vietnam 50th Anniversary Commemoration
Program will partner with other federal agencies, veterans groups, state, local
government and non-government organizations to:
Thank and
honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as
prisoners of war or listed as missing in action, for their service and
sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of
these veterans.
Highlight
the service of the armed forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of
federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that
served with, or in support of, the armed forces.
Pay
tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United
States during the Vietnam War.
Highlight
the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to the military
research conducted during the Vietnam War.
Recognize
the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during
the Vietnam War.
For more information on the Vietnam War
Commemoration, please call 877-387-9951 or visit the official website at http://www.vietnamwar50th.com.
Permission: GNU Free Documentation License
Exhibit Honoring Deceased NY Servicemembers Unveiled
Exhibit Includes Artifacts That Highlight New York's Leading Role in Establishing Memorial Day Holiday
An exhibit has been unveiled in the State Capitol that honors New York's service men and women who have died in war, as well as highlighting the state's leading role in the birth of the Memorial Day holiday.
"This exhibit will give New Yorkers and those who visit the Capitol a place to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in service to our country," Governor Cuomo said.
"From the very first Decoration Day parades
down Main Street, Waterloo in the mid-19th Century, New York State has led the
nation in designating a special day to commemorate the men and women in our
armed services who paid the ultimate sacrifice. I encourage all New Yorkers,
young and old, to visit this exhibit to learn about our state's extraordinary
history, while also taking pause to honor the fallen."
The Governor’s office noted that during the Civil War, there were more soldiers serving from New York than any other state, and the Village of Waterloo in Seneca County is recognized as the birthplace for Memorial Day.
In May of 1866, a pharmacist named Henry Welles
organized a "Decoration Day" in Waterloo to honor the New Yorkers who
died during the Civil War. The graves of fallen soldiers were decorated,
patriotic bunting was hung on buildings, and veterans of the Union Army paraded
down Main Street, Waterloo.
Decoration Day gained popularity and in 1868,
John Logan, the head of the Union Army Veterans’ Association, proclaimed May 30th Decoration
Day for the North. In 1873, New York became the first state to officially
declare Declaration Day a holiday.
While Decoration Days were being celebrated in the North, Judge Francis Miles Finch, an Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, published his poem, "The Blue and the Gray," in the September 1867 issue of the Atlantic Monthly Journal.
The poem helped inspire a national movement to
recognize a single Memorial Day for all of the soldiers who died during the
Civil War.
The Capitol Memorial Day Exhibit tells the story of New York’s role in the birth of this important holiday, with pictures of Welles, Logan and General John B. Murray, and the role these individuals played.
There are also 19th Century pictures of
Waterloo portraying the early Decoration Day celebrations.
The exhibit will be located in the State Street
lobby on the first floor of the State Capitol building in Albany for several
weeks before moving to the War Room on the second floor.
The following artifacts are on display:
Logan,
John Alexander: The Volunteer Soldier of America by John A. Logan: With
Memoir of the Author and Military Reminiscences from General Logan’s Private
Journal
Sheet
music of America Here’s My Boy. Music by Arthur Lange. Words by
Andrew B. Sterling.
Editorial
cartoon drawn by Hy Rosen and published in the Albany Times Union to
mark Memorial Day 1963
I’ll Be
Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams) Words and music by Kim Gannon,
Walter Kent, Buck Ram
Sheet
Music of After the War Is Over: Will There Be Any Home Sweet Home? Music
by Joseph Woodruff. Words by E.J. Pourmon.
Postcards
of Civil War monuments that were dedicated on Memorial Day
Oration of
General John A. Logan: Delivered Upon the Occasion of the Decoration of Union
Soldiers' Graves, at the National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., on Memorial Day,
May
Mills
Memorial and Decoration Day Programme
Memorial
Day of the Grand Army of the Republic, Borough of Manhattan
A copy of
the September 1867 Atlantic Monthly Journal
In addition to the panel and artifacts, a
portrait of Judge Francis Miles Finch – on loan from the Court of Appeals –
will be on display.
This is the first time the portrait has been on
display outside of the Court of Appeals.
Visit http://www.hallofgovernors.ny.gov/generic/memorialdayexhibit to obtain more information about the exhibit.
Image courtesy of
Addabbo: 'I Fully Support Package of Bills That Will Honor Deceased Servicemembers'
Senator Urges All New Yorkers to Honor Our Country's Fallen Heroes on Memorial Day
Queens, NY - As Memorial Day approaches,
providing our nation with the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of
fallen servicemen and servicewomen, New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo,
Jr. (D-Queens) reiterated his strong support for a package of legislation
designed to honor the memories of deceased New York veterans who
gave of themselves in service to their country.
Addabbo, who serves as the ranking Democratic
member of the Senate Standing Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and
Military Affairs, said, “Memorial Day offers a time for all of us to pay
tribute to the veterans , both in battles past and in more recent conflicts,
who have made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. Without their courage,
their valor, and their complete willingness to put their love of country over
and above their own safety, we would not be enjoying the precious freedoms we
are enjoying today as New Yorkers and as Americans.”
In addition to recognizing Memorial Day with
honorary parades, tributes, and moments of reflection, Addabbo said that he
will continue working in the State Senate to pass legislation honoring the
sacrifices of New York’s deceased servicemen and servicewomen.
“On Memorial Day and every day, we have an
obligation to demonstrate how much we appreciate and honor their service and
selflessness,” said the Queens lawmaker.
The bills that Addabbo recently voted to approve
are:
S.1504: Co-sponsored
by Addabbo, this legislation would prohibit the unauthorized sale of veterans’
commemorative property at cemeteries, and put strict regulations in place to
govern the sale or transfer of these items – including flag holders, statues,
and grave markers.
“There have been instances where cemetery owners
have sold these items, aware of their value and historical significance, when
they should stay right where they are – on the gravesites of the veterans,”
Addabbo said, noting that this has been particularly common with regard to
Civil War memorabilia.
S.1431: This bill
would authorize the Adjutant General to present a United States flag to the
families of deceased New York Guard members for their burial ceremonies even if
these veterans were not activated and called to serve abroad – the current
requirement to receive a flag.
“Even if they were not called into service overseas,
New York Guard members have voluntarily made themselves available at times of
need and stand ready to serve at a moment’s notice,” Addabbo said.
“Their dedication to their country, every single
day, should be honored under any circumstances.”
S.1728: This
legislation specifically creates the crime of desecrating the gravesite of a
veteran, punishable as a Class E felony.
“Cemetery desecration is heinous under any
circumstances, but is particularly despicable when criminals choose to
vandalize the graves of veterans who put their lives at risk for our freedoms
and liberties,” Addabbo said.
The first two bills, having passed the Senate,
are now being reviewed by the Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.
The third bill is under consideration by the
Assembly Codes Committee.
Image courtesy of http://bestanimations.com.
Cuomo Launches Multi-Agency Initiative
Plan Aims to Help Prevent Impaired Driving During Prom and Graduation Season
Albany, NY - Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced that three state
agencies have launched an initiative that will help curb impaired driving by
underage youths and ensure that teenagers – during prom and high school
graduation season – are aware of the extreme dangers of getting behind the
wheel of a car while intoxicated.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) has teamed up with the state Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and the New York State Police to promote the "It's Your Community, It's Your Call" hotline.
The hotline encourages individuals to call
1-866-UNDER21 to report underage drinking, potentially helping stop young
people from driving under the influence of alcohol.
The hotline goes directly to State Police, who
forward the call to the appropriate jurisdiction. The anonymity of callers is
protected.
"All across New York State, our young people are celebrating the end of the school year, including attending proms and other celebrations with friends and family," stated Cuomo.
"For our teenagers, who are just beginning
their adult lives, never is it more important to make responsible decisions and
follow the laws of the state which are designed to keep youth from tragic harm.
This hotline will enable members of the community to keep an eye out and make
sure that our young people are kept safe and avoid the devastating consequences
that result from impaired driving."
Drivers under 21 represent about five percent of licensed drivers, but are involved in more than 12 percent of fatal crashes.
In publicizing "It’s Your Community, It’s
Your Call," the GTSC's traffic safety initiative has purchased radio and
television spots as well as billboard ads to raise awareness and promote the
hotline.
"The season for proms and graduations can be a joyous time for teenagers and their families. Unfortunately, the partying that often surrounds these events can turn joy into tragedy when teens impaired by alcohol decide it’s OK to drive. Underage drinking is a major concern and utilizing the hotline can head off potentially tragic situations when teenagers drive while impaired," said Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Barbara J. Fiala.
OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez added, "We know that half of all high school seniors in New York State have consumed alcohol. Prom and graduation season is a very exciting time of year for both students and parents. During this time of celebration, we must do everything possible to eliminate alcohol-related accidents among prom attendees and graduates with zero tolerance toward the consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages. You can help prevent a tragedy in your community by using the 1-866-UNDER21 hotline."
"The New York State Police proudly join the
Governor's Traffic Safety Committee and the Office of Alcoholism and Substance
Abuse Services in the continued effort to discourage, detect, and apprehend
underage users of alcohol. With the school prom and graduation season upon us,
the 1-866-UNDER21 hotline will serve as a means for concerned parents, friends
and citizens to report the purchase or use of alcohol by minors, or the
operation of motor vehicles by underage impaired drivers. Our communities must
work with law enforcement to keep our young citizens safe by preventing
underage drinking and its needless resulting tragedies," noted New
York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D'Amico.
Photo courtesy of http://www.car-accidents.com.
Photo courtesy of http://www.car-accidents.com.
Skin Cells Converted Into Working Heart Cells
Sources:WZVNFoxNewsABC
TheGuardianWHDH
By Nathan Byrne
Anchor: Jim Flink
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Chemical Castration for Rapist in First for South Korea
Sources:WallStreetJournalJoongAngDaily
ChosunIlboBBCNews
By Lyndsey Garza
Anchor: Jim Flink
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Hopes Fade After First Day of Iran Nuclear Talks
Sources:PBSFarsNewsAgencyAlJazeera
TheChristianScienceMonitorCNNRT
By Christina Hartman
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Secret Service Director: Scandal Not a Cultural Problem
Sources:C-SPANFoxBusinessFoxNews
TheWashingtonPostTheGuardian
By Christina Hartman
Anchor: Christina Hartman
Video courtesy of Newsy.com
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
White House Hangout: National Small Business Week with Administrator Karen Mills
During National Small Business Week, Small Business Administrator Karen Mills joins a Google+ Hangout to announce the SBA video contest winners and discuss how SBA assistance helped their small business and what inspired their successes.
Assemblywoman Titus Votes to Increase Minimum Wage
Legislation Will Impact Over One Million New Yorkers
Assemblywoman Michele Titus (D-Queens) has announced the Assembly passed legislation to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour beginning January 2013, while also increasing the minimum wage for food-service workers who receive tips from $5.00 to $5.86 per hour.
Both wage rates would then be indexed to inflation beginning January 2014 (A.9148). The bill now awaits action in the Senate.
“During this difficult economic time, raising
the minimum wage is the right thing to do,” Assemblywoman Titus said.
“Simply put, people who work full time shouldn’t
be poor. The Assembly’s legislation would help make sure that New Yorkers
living on minimum-wage salaries can actually survive on the minimum
wage. I strongly urge the Senate to pass this crucial measure.”
According to a recent Quinnipiac Poll, 78
percent of New Yorkers support raising the minimum wage.
Of the New Yorkers who support increasing the
minimum wage, 37 percent are behind raising it to $8.50 an hour and 52 percent
support an even higher increase.
“Over the past five years, New York’s minimum
wage has only increased 10 cents per hour, which is not enough for Queens
families to pay for things like rent, heat, gas, food and prescription drugs,” the
Assemblywoman noted.
“By increasing the minimum wage, the quality of
life for more than 1 million New Yorkers will be improved.”
Currently, the neighboring states of Vermont,
Connecticut and Massachusetts – as well as 15 other states across the country
and the District of Columbia – all have higher minimum wages than New York.
“This measure is a win-win for New Yorkers,”
Assemblywoman Titus added.
“Not only are we helping working families afford
basic necessities, we are also putting money in the pockets of those most
likely to spend it right here in our community, helping boost the economy and
create jobs.”
Photo courtesy of Carla Downie and the office of Assemblywoman Michele Titus.
Photo courtesy of Carla Downie and the office of Assemblywoman Michele Titus.
Addabbo: 'Health Care Concerns on the Rise'
Senator Says Creation of State Health Care Exchange Also Creates More Uncertainty
Queens, NY – Last month, Governor Andrew
Cuomo issued an Executive Order creating a statewide health insurance exchange,
which he said would bring “true competition into the health care marketplace,
driving costs down across the state.”
Governor Cuomo’s actions dealt directly with the
issue of complying with the federal Affordable Care Act, which is being debated
in the Supreme Court over its constitutionality and validity.
According to NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo,
Jr. (D-Queens), explaining the impact of the state’s health insurance
exchange to the average resident is an addition to the other concerns people
have about the future of their health care.
“With the major changes in health care on the
governmental level, many of my constituents have questions that must be
answered with accurate information,” Addabbo commented.
Addabbo stated that his office, which has a
dedicated staff member for such health-related issues, has seen a huge increase
in individuals with health care concerns.
The state health care exchange will be entirely
financed by the federal government and will be instrumental in establishing the
first-ever comparative marketplace to bring down the cost of health insurance.
If New York failed to establish an exchange, the
federal government would have stepped in and created a federally operated
exchange in the state, in order to comply with the Affordable Care Act.
Governor Cuomo emphasized that the state is
expecting federal financing to set up the exchange and has already received $88
million in federal grants to plan for its health exchange. In order
to save on administrative costs, the Executive Order set up the exchange within
the State Health Department.
By decreasing the cost of insurance, the
exchange will help more than one million uninsured New Yorkers afford health
care coverage.
Currently, New Yorkers subsidize the health care
costs of the 2.7 million residents of the state without health insurance. Many
of these residents forgo preventive treatment which puts their own health at
risk and costs the state more than $600 million annually to pay for the
hospital bills of the uninsured.
The exchange will allow residents to obtain
health coverage and facilitate the purchase of health plans. Additionally, the
exchange will ensure that eligible small businesses and individuals will have
access to tax credits and cost-sharing reductions from the federal government
totaling $6.2 billion.
Senator Addabbo said the exchanges would allow
for open competition between health insurers which will drive down costs and
improve services, ultimately creating a better value for the consumer.
The exchange, a plan where people and small
businesses will be able to shop for insurance coverage, would also direct
individuals to Medicaid, if they are eligible.
Addabbo stated that he is concerned with the
cost of insurance for seniors and that is an issue under the exchange.
“There are still numerous issues with the
exchange that must be addressed before it can be implemented. The extent and
cost of a person’s health coverage is a critical matter for me,” Addabbo
stated.
The Senator encourages those who have questions
about the state’s health care exchange or other health care issues to contact
his office at (718) 738-1111.
Legislation Could Save New York State Taxpayers $300 Million Annually
Addabbo Pushes for S. 3093 Bill
Legislation Could Save New York State Taxpayers $300 Million Annually
Queens, NY - New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo,
Jr. (D-Queens), a member of the Senate Labor and Civil Service Committees,
is pushing legislation (S.3093) that could save New York State taxpayers more
than $300 million a year by reducing the number of expensive outside consultants
hired by state agencies and having necessary work done “in house” by state
public employees.
“According to figures from the Office of the
State Comptroller cited in a recent report by the Public Employees Federation,
New York State spent an astounding $3.5 billion on outside consultants last
year, which represents an $840 million increase over the last eight years,”
Addabbo said.
“When you consider that, on average, consultants
are paid almost $73 an hour – while regular state employees average about $52
per hour with the cost of benefits factored in – it appears that we’re spending
way too much money for people to come in and do the same exact jobs that
full-time state workers could do in-house at a lower cost.”
The legislation Addabbo is cosponsoring would
require that state agencies, prior to entering into contracts with outside
consultants to perform specific jobs, undertake a cost comparison analysis to
determine whether the work could be done more economically and efficiently by
state employees.
“This just seems like common sense,” said
Addabbo, noting that the federal government implemented a similar directive in
2009 for agency contracts that is expected to save up to $40 billion.
In recent years, in addition to the Public
Employees Federation, a number of entities including the State Comptroller, New
York State Assembly, and New York State Senate Task Force on Government
Efficiency have conducted studies concluding that the state could realize
significant savings by reducing its reliance on expensive outside
consultants.
The Public Employee Federation report estimates
savings of $316 million a year if some consultants are replaced by regular
state employees.
“The recent report, entitled New York’s
Consultants: the Invisible Workforce, says that the state hired at least 1,300
new full-time consultants – a 24 percent increase – in the last three years,
while the rank-and-file state workforce was reduced by 14,000 full-time
employees,” Addabbo said, noting that most of the consultants were brought in
to perform accounting, information technology (IT), and engineering work.
“Some of the IT consultants were paid as much as
$240 an hour, while state workers performing the same job earn about $53 per
hour, with the cost of their benefits included. While efforts to make
state agency operations more cost-efficient are always necessary, particularly
in difficult economic times, the strategy of hiring outside consultants to do
the work of a significantly depleted state workforce appears to be backfiring
in a very costly way.”
While estimates may vary of the taxpayer savings
that would be realized from reduced reliance on outside consultants, Addabbo
said that “any savings would be welcome at a time when we are still trying to
get our fiscal house back in order and recover from very difficult economic
hardships. Passage of my legislation would help get us back on track and
ensure that our limited resources and taxpayer dollars are used wisely and
cost-effectively to get important state jobs done and done well.”
The legislation has already been approved by the
New York State Assembly, and is awaiting a vote by the full membership in the
Senate.