PLATTSBURGH — The reform measures included in New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed 2012-13 budget are as important as the budget itself.
That was the message delivered by New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Darrel Aubertine as he spoke to community leaders at the North Country Chamber of Commerce Friday afternoon.
Those reform measures include the fields of economic development, re-imagining government, mandate relief and the education crisis.
PARTNERSHIPS
Creation of public and private collaborations are to be used to improve more than 100 bridges and 2,000 miles of roads, upgrade 90 municipal water systems, make improvements at 48 parks and historical sites and repair 114 flood-control systems.
The $15 billion plan calls for $1.3 billion from the state, $1.7 billion in federal funds, $9 billion from state authorities and $3 billion in private funds.
NEW DIRECTION
Re-imagining government is the focus of the state's Spending and Government Efficiency commission (SAGE).
"This governor has been saying all along we need to help government evolve," Aubertine said.
One aim is to reduce the thousands of state programs, many of which are redundant. He said one example is the 40 housing programs run by the Department of Housing and Community Renewal.
Executive compensation also needs to be addressed, Aubertine said. He said one example is an early intervention program downstate, where $3.3 million of its $19 million budget goes to administrative costs.
MANDATES
Under mandates, Medicaid relief has been addressed, with a 3 percent cap for increases in county costs. Aubertine said the state will take over paying for Medicaid increases during the next five years.
Aubertine said pensions will increase 185 percent from 2009 to 2015. The new Tier VI plan would vest employees after their first year rather than 10 years and would be 50 percent cheaper than the Tier 3 and 4 plans.
He said that will apply only to future hires.
EDUCATION
The state ranks first in spending on education but only 38th in graduation rates. Aubertine said Cuomo introduced competitive grants based on performance to address that last year.
The state still needs to adopt a teacher-evaluation system, he said, or it could lose its $700 million in federal education funding.
FUNDING CUTS
Aubertine said the budget proposal would close a $2 billion deficit by reducing an increase of funding for state agencies and aid to local municipalities.
State agency funding would remain flat instead of a 4.5 percent increase, which would save $1.3 billion.
Funding for local municipalities would be reduced from 3.9 to 2.6 percent, a savings of $756 million.
"What we're trying to do here is put together a fiscal plan that is balanced, and it is," Aubertine said.
The state budget has been reduced from $134.8 billion in 2010-11 to $132.7 billion in 2011-12 to $132.5 billion in 2012-13.
"The trend clearly is going down," he said.
REFORM
North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said it was a welcome change to see the emphasis on reform in Cuomo's budget presentation.
"I think the most fundamental part of the governor's budget presentation was right up front," he said.
In the past, a new administration would introduce reform measures in the first year but usually fall back to the old way of doing things in subsequent years. That is not the case with the new budget and reform measures Cuomo has introduced, Douglas said.
"This is the second and crucial step."
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