How to Tackle Government Labor Costs

A. Gary Shilling writes in today’s Wall Street Journal on the need to lower government labor costs. He writes: “Life is tough and getting tougher for state and local governments. Revenues from personal and corporate income and sales taxes are down and property taxes are we
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State put freeze on hiring, then added 51,464 people

Delen Goldburg of the Syracuse Post- Standard writes – “Gov. David Paterson ordered a “hard” hiring freeze in state government nearly two years ago, declaring that only “absolutely essential” positions be filled. But state officials hired 51,464 people at a cost to
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Senate passes bill allowing town court mergers

The Utica Observer -Dispatch reports – “The state Senate Thursday passed a bill that would allow towns to merge into one court facility, Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome, announced in a statement. “In rural areas, where town courts may have very few cases, and where there is a
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Syracuse city and school district officials are studying ways to consolidate

Maureen Nolan of the Syracuse Post-Standard reports – “Department heads from the Syracuse school district and City Hall have been meeting to find ways to consolidate information technology, financial and facilities operations, Superintendent Daniel Lowengard said tonight.
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MTA making real cuts

Judy Rife of the Times Herald-Record writes – “The Metropolitan Transportation Authority moved Tuesday to eliminate more than 1,100 jobs in an ongoing struggle to overcome stubborn deficits. “This is just the beginning of a comprehensive overhaul of how the MTA does
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Villages ask: Is dissolution the solution? Three Saratoga County communities weigh merits of erasing their governments

Leigh Hornbeck writes in the Times Union – “Schuylerville, Victory Mills and Corinth were founded in 1831, 1849 and 1886, respectively. But each of these historic villages may fade into history by the end in 2011. There is a push in each community to dissolve their boundar
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Faso says Public Employee wage freeze better than layoffs

John Faso on his Times Union City Brights blog once again is promoting a common since approach for lowering the burden taxpayer’s face in the current economic crisis – One that would keep needed public employees working and freeze current spending. “I surveyed the six Co
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An urge to merge

In this Times Union editorial they take a closer look at how Cohoes and Watervliet could share some services and save tax payer dollars. “Here’s a word we’re glad to add to the vocabulary to describe an economic climate that has government revenues down, municipaliti
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While economy falters, 23,000+ state workers earn six figures

Doug Schneider and Joseph Spector report on Pressconnects.com – “New York’s unemployment might be at near-record levels, but the number of state workers earning six-figure incomes continues to grow significantly and reached a record level last year. More than 23,000
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Gov. proposes government streamlining

The Business Council of New York State, Inc. is supporting Gov. David Paterson’s call for agency mergers and streamlining of state government. Governor David A. Paterson today announced a series of State agency and public authority mergers and consolidations, as well as actions
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