Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A Time to Rebuild
An Era of Reform & Recommitment
Governor David A. Paterson
We must take firm and decisive steps to rebuild New York – with
fiscal reform, ethics reform and an economic development plan that
helps businesses put our people back to work.
FISCAL REFORM
To rebuild New York, we need to enact fundamental fiscal reform
that makes government more accountable to taxpayers. For too
many years, Albany has spent recklessly and without any long-term
strategy – and the cost has been more than monetary. There is a
lack of confidence in government that stems in part from the
mishandling of public funds. Governor Paterson’s plan for fiscal
reform includes real and lasting cuts to the bureaucracy; a merging
of agencies to improve efficiency and save money; the public
tracking of agency performance; and a long-term strategy for fiscal
planning.
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Making Government Accountable
Empire Stat
To help make government more accountable and transparent to
taxpayers, Governor Paterson will deploy EmpireStat, a new
program to track the progress of State agencies.
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Health Care/Vulnerable Youth: Expediently addressing
complaints against physicians, addressing Medicaid fraud
and abuse, monitoring the immunization of our youth, and
the prevention of lead poisoning in young children.
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funds being spent as effectively and efficiently as possible,
and help prevent and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse.
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The State will work towards identifying and standardizing
human resources (HR) best practices and consolidating HR
functions for areas such as learning management,
performance evaluations, time and attendance, employee
benefits, and recruitment.
Spending Cap
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property tax relief program that would provide direct relief to
taxpayers once the State’s fiscal house is in order.
Fiscal Discipline
The spending cap will end the era of excess that has contributed to
New York’s current fiscal crisis by forcing state government to
spend within its means. This law will improve the long-term
financial health of our government and help avoid future fiscal
crises by ending the boom and bust cycle budgeting of the past.
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effect for next year’s budget, it is expected State Operating
Funds spending would be limited to no greater than $80.4
billion in 2010-11, which reflects an increase of
approximately $1.7 billion or 2.1 percent from the prior
year – $2.2 billion below current services estimates.
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Encouraging Fiscal Responsibility at the Local Level
In order to provide real property tax relief to everyday New
Yorkers, local school districts will also have to do their part to
control spending. As such, Governor Paterson’s circuit-breaker
proposal includes a provision to encourage fiscal responsibility at
the local level. This provision presses localities to keep spending
and property tax bills under control.
ETHICS REFORM
Governor Paterson’s Reform Albany Act is driven not by the
illegal actions of any one person, but instead by what is still legal
and rampant throughout the entire system of government. The
corrosive effects of outside influence and inside decay have bred
cynicism and scorn from the people of New York. Special interests
expect others to shoulder the burdens that they are unwilling to
bear, and expect special treatment with no regard for the welfare of
others. This Act will restore the trust and faith that people expect
and deserve. The ultimate goal of this reform is to bring fairness
and openness to a government that has little of either.
The Reform Albany Act puts the interests of the people of New
York ahead of the lobbyists and special interests. As long as
Albany’s political establishment self-regulates without independent
scrutiny, any effort to reform the laws is window dressing. In spite
of efforts to prevent public officers from using their positions for
personal gain and despite enacting tougher ethics laws to govern
those who work for the state to conduct themselves in an honest
and open manner, more complete guidance is necessary. Governor
Paterson proposes sweeping reform – the Reform Albany Act – to
fundamentally change the culture of Albany.
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Independent Ethics Commission
The centerpiece of the Reform Albany Act would be a new
independent Ethics Commission to oversee our entire state
government.
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The Designating Panel would:
consider and evaluate the qualifications of
candidates for appointment to the Office of
Commissioner of Government Ethics;
make appointments by at least an affirmative,
super-majority vote (7 out of 10);
establish outreach procedures to encourage the
most qualified candidates to apply for
Commissioner positions;
provide that all selection proceedings and
records are confidential; and
provide for the filling of vacancies in the
Designating Panel.
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The Ethics Commission would promulgate, adopt, amend
and rescind rules and regulations to:
define State officers for the purposes of
clarifying who is covered under the law to make
clear that legislators are included within its
scope;
provide for the availability and filing of
financial disclosure statements;
establish a protocol for the performance of
regular reviews of annual statements of financial
disclosure filed by persons under the
Commission's jurisdiction;
provide assistance to the Legislature, State
agencies, public authorities, public benefit
corporations or the public regarding possible
conflicts of interest;
provide ethics training for those subject to its
jurisdiction; and
provide for enforcement of the laws under its
jurisdiction.
End Pay-to-Play
The Reform Albany Act also makes fundamental changes to the
way Albany operates in secret. These enhancements will help to
eliminate the pay-to-play atmosphere that surrounds Albany by
improving the reporting of outside businesses including increased
oversight and enhanced reporting for both lobbyists and State
officers and improving guidance to identify and prevent conflicts
of interest.
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lobbyists, vendors, contractors and contractees
including listing referrals of business by such
individuals and entities to all State officers and
State legislators in their private business
capacities;
requiring lobbyists to disclose all private
business relationships with State public officials,
including State legislators;
prohibiting State officers, including State
legislators, from benefiting from State contracts
during their period in office;
requiring any State officers, including State
legislators, with outside legal or other
professional practices to identify their income
and clients on the annual financial disclosure
statement, with exceptions made after review
and approval by the Ethics Commission;
requiring enhanced reporting of lobbyists to
report to the Commission all solicitations of
public officers and all lobbying for grants, loans
and other disbursements of public funds, as well
as other inducements of agency or public
authority actions beneficial to their clients or
themselves;
increasing lobbyists disclosure regarding their
business and appearances before State agencies,
public authorities and other quasi-governmental
entities;
expanding the prohibition on contingent retainer
agreements to apply to other inducements or
payments to an agent on behalf of a client,
including, but not limited to, bonus payments or
success fees;
establishing a Pay-to-Play ban on the
Comptroller including placement agents,
consultants, financial advisors and lawyers who
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solicit the State or New York City Comptrollers
for investment of pension funds with those who
are required to register as lobbyists.
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For those candidates who opt-out of the
public financing scheme, all individual
contributions to their campaign would be
limited to $1000;
phasing-in public campaign finance beginning
with the State legislative races in 2012,
followed by all Statewide and State legislative
races by 2014;
banning corporate contributions, including
contributions by limited liability companies and
limited liability partnerships;
banning the bundling of contributions;
limiting lobbyist contributions by providing no
public match of campaign funds;
banning transfers among campaign committees;
imposing limits on the unlimited contributions to
campaign “housekeeping accounts”;
limiting the personal use of campaign funds;
requiring the return of unused campaign funds
upon leaving public service;
facilitating compliance with reporting
requirements, including random as well as
routine, real time audits of campaign
committees;
increasing penalties for violations.
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Limiting State Assembly and State Senate to six,
two-year terms;
Limiting Statewide office-holders to two, four-
year terms.
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laws are not being enforced, it is clear that the status quo does not
work. This bill would reform Albany by establishing an
independent arm that will promote both the reality and the
perception of integrity in government by helping to prevent
conflicts before they occur and addressing enforcement in a
thoughtful and consistent manner.
The Empire Zone program has outlived its usefulness. New York
will not invest money in businesses that promise to create jobs, but
then fail to deliver them. Empire Zones will be replaced by the
Excelsior Jobs Program – a New Economy jobs program focused
on the high tech and clean energy growth jobs of tomorrow. The
Excelsior Jobs Program is the centerpiece of the most innovative
job-creation agenda in the history of New York. This new effort
will be strategic, cost-effective, transparent, and accountable.
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best build a program that delivers what it promises. The results are
three aggressive incentives for targeted growth industries:
Strategic
These tax incentives, combined with Governor Paterson’s “45 by
15” clean energy plan and a $25 million new technology seed fund
for entrepreneurs, will encourage capital investment, spur
innovation, and create tens of thousands of jobs.
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Future investments will be strategically targeted, their costs
will be controlled and they will be transparent and easily
understandable to both users and oversight agencies.
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can generate revenues. The research and development work
being done on the campuses of New York’s colleges and
universities commands the attention of scientists around the
world.
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investment diversification. Sophisticated insurance transactions,
and the financial and economic benefits resulting from them, are
increasingly moving outside of New York to places such as
Bermuda, Ireland, and Switzerland. In the process, New York
loses jobs and tax revenue. New York can and must attract
international investors by providing tax benefits and an efficient
and secure regulatory environment.
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complex commercial insurance, the exchange will reaffirm New
York’s status as the hub of international trade and finance and
curtail the unregulated transactions that devastated the global
economy.
Over the last hundred years, New York’s economy was built by
two primary industries – manufacturing and financial services. We
must leverage the strengths of these twin titans to guarantee the
economic security of the people who are carrying their legacy into
the twenty-first century.
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in local jobs and regional pride. These facilities are well
prepared to manufacture the products of a New Economy.
Solar photovoltaic cells, wind turbines, fuel cells and
batteries are just a few products that require the space and
fixed assets these off-line plants have to offer.
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NYSERDA will launch programs to improve energy
efficiency and emissions profiles of existing manufacturing
processes to reduce the State’s carbon footprint and work
towards achieving the State’s “80 by 50” greenhouse gas
reduction goal.
Energy Efficiency
The cleanest, cheapest energy resource is energy efficiency. That is
why Governor Paterson is committed to continuing to expand
opportunities to improve energy efficiency. In 2010, the Paterson
Administration will take a series of steps towards that goal
including:
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Submitting legislation to “green” the State’s energy code
and remove loopholes that have limited the code’s
effectiveness.
Energy Independence
In 2010, Governor Paterson will support the development of in-
State energy supplies by:
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Inventory State-owned properties that are suitable for
renewable energy installations.
Energy Infrastructure
Governor Paterson understands the need to identify future needs
for, and invest in, energy infrastructure. The Paterson
Administration will take numerous steps to develop that
infrastructure in 2010 including:
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Energy Innovation
Governor Paterson will take the following actions in 2010 in an
effort to stimulate innovation in the clean energy economy and help
the existing manufacturing base transition to a low-carbon future.
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Help local governments become Climate Smart
Communities.
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Nuisance response, inspections, maintenance and mowing,
foregone taxes, and eventual demolition costs represent
public funds that could be spent on more productive city
priorities, from education to health care to housing
innovations.
Strategic Focus
The Sustainable Neighborhoods Project will allow State and local
officials to focus limited resources strategically on
environmentally-responsible initiatives. With more than 23,000
vacant housing units, Buffalo will serve as the starting point for the
project which will expand to cities across New York State.
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Within newly designated Sustainable Neighborhoods, State
and local officials will partner to focus resources for urban
revitalization and to create new, high quality
homeownership opportunities.
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create thousands more of these high-quality jobs across the
State. The Paterson Administration will work with private
sector partners that will act as advocates, matchmakers and
rain-makers. There is no denying that Upstate New York
has the workforce, space and livable communities to
support these office operations.
Access to Capital
To support New York’s small businesses, the State must help
provide them with access to much needed capital. That is why
Governor Paterson proposes the creation of a $25 million Small
Business Revolving Loan Fund that will provide capital to worthy
entrepreneurs.
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Expanding Economic Opportunity to All New Yorkers
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($5.1 million) in 2008. This ongoing increase in MWBE
utilization is an historic accomplishment that has already
resulted in new firms establishing a presence in New York
and existing firms growing their employee base.
The State, via the Dormitory Authority, has for the first
time in its history allocated significant funds – $3 million –
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to establish a pipeline of firms in the MWBE sector capable
of becoming prime contractors.
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previously left out, and expanding opportunities for training
and promotion.
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State’s programs and services related to economic security.
The website allows low-income New Yorkers and the
community-based organizations serving them to perform an
online assessment of potential program eligibility for a
broad array of public benefit programs, including food
stamps, health insurance, public assistance, and tax credits.
A PATH TO RECOVERY
Time and time again, New Yorkers have demonstrated the ability
to rebuild and renew – that is the promise of the Empire State.
New Yorkers have recovered from economic crises and rebuilt
after disasters both natural and manmade. Every time our capacity
for hope has been questioned, every time our faith has been tested,
every time we have approached a wall that seemed too high to
scale, we have proven that our determination knows no bounds.
Governor Paterson’s plan to rebuild New York will strengthen our
State, grow our economy, and get New Yorkers back to work.
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An Era of Reform & Recommitment
The plan outlined above builds on the work Governor Paterson has
accomplished over the past year on behalf of the people of New
York. Throughout his time in office, Governor Paterson has fought
to provide economic security for all New Yorkers; protect the most
vulnerable in a time of historic economic crisis; expand
opportunities and civil rights to all; and enact real reform that
changes the culture of Albany and makes government more
accountable to taxpayers.
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New York’s extensive response to the mortgage crisis
includes the funding and administration of grant programs
for counseling and legal services; outreach and loan
modification events that bring homeowners face-to-face
with lenders and servicers; refinancing and mortgage
programs such as the introduction of the forty-year fixed
rate mortgage through the State of New York Mortgage
Agency; neighborhood stabilization initiatives to return
foreclosed properties to productive use; and enforcement
actions through the creation of a Mortgage Fraud Unit
within the Banking Department.
Civil Rights
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learn from an early age the need for tolerance and respect of
differences.
Reform
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Property Tax Relief
Health Care
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Since taking office, Governor Paterson has enacted
sweeping reforms to the Medicaid reimbursement system,
ensuring that the right price is paid for the right care in the
right setting. This includes reforming the systems used to
pay hospitals and nursing homes and beginning to reform
the home care system. For example, as a result of reforms
to inpatient hospital rates, there will be a significant
investment in primary care and outpatient hospital rates.
Comparing January 2009 to January 2010, reimbursement
for outpatient hospital clinic services will increase 55
percent; reimbursement for ambulatory surgery will
increase by 72 percent; and reimbursement for emergency
department services will increase by 48 percent.
Education
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well as investments in crucial investments in critical and
deferred maintenance such as fixing roofs, playing fields
and walkways. These record investments in public higher
education infrastructure draw upon the legacies of President
Franklin Delano Roosevelt and New York Governor
Herbert Lehman by seeking to build our way out of the
current fiscal crisis.
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Public Safety
Job Creation
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Innovation Economy Matching Grants program. The
program provides a 10 percent match for federal
government awards to facilities in Innovation Economy
sectors up to $100 million.
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