Short staffing of New York State agencies has already made it nearly impossible for many of us to perform our jobs, and now it looks like the Pataki Administration is considering further reductions of staff for many departments.  Please take a moment to tell Governor Pataki to Cut Waste, Not State Workers!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

There is speculation the fiscal management plan being developed by the Division of the Budget will call for further significant reductions in the already skeletal state workforce. I ask that you reject these plans.

Short staffing of New York State agencies has already made it nearly impossible for us to perform our jobs. Because of short staffing many of the services that New Yorkers rely on cannot be provided in a timely manner if at all. The recent problem with the Math A Regent's examination probably occurred in part because of understaffing in the Education Department.

There is a better option. State agencies continue to spend as much as a quarter of a billion dollars more than necessary each year by providing services using expensive contractors and consultants rather than using civil servants.

Little is being done to stop this State waste which is in direct contradiction to your call in this year's State of the State address to "...make government the most efficient it can be." In fact, the Division of Budget has created an incentive for agencies to pursue the wasteful practice of contracting out. The implementation of a hiring freeze for civil servant vacancies without imposing a similar freeze on state agencies' ability to contract for services has forced agencies to use more contract services even though it has been documented that the state workforce can often provide the same services more efficiently and economically.

New Yorkers deserve cost effective, efficient and high quality services, services best provided by civil servants. I ask for your leadership on this issue.

Cut state waste, not state workers.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
July 07, 2003