{"id":6555,"date":"2025-01-30T09:48:02","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T14:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/?p=6555"},"modified":"2025-01-30T09:59:15","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T14:59:15","slug":"pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-43-no-1\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\/","title":{"rendered":"PEF begins setting priorities for 2025 following executive budget release\u202f"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2025January 30, 2025 —<\/em> Affordability and safety were the key talking points for New York Governor Kathy Hochul during her January 14 State of the State address.\u202f The governor spoke directly to New Yorkers, asking them to believe that she will fight for them.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy fellow New Yorkers, as we reflect on the State of our great State, the Empire State, two things are very clear to me. Our future depends on the ability of every family to afford the essentials of life, and our ability to protect the safety and security of our residents. But we will not achieve these goals without a fight,\u201d said Governor Hochul. \u201cSo, my commitment to every New Yorker is this: Your family is my fight. That has been the inspiration and impetus for everything we have done for the last three years.\u201d\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the address, the governor pledged tax cuts for New Yorkers making less than $323,000, an increase in the Child Tax Credit program, investment in New York City\u2019s MTA, industries that reduce carbon emissions, and strengthening laws like Kendra\u2019s Law and reshaping mental health systems to help reduce crime across the state and in the NYC subway system.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The details behind her proposals came a week later, when the Executive Budget book was released. PEF\u2019s Legislative Department immediately went to work identifying what to support and what to oppose in the budget proposal.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGovernor Hochul has advanced an Executive Budget<\/a> that puts money in the pockets of hard-working New Yorkers who need it through middle class tax cuts, an inflation rebate and the expansion of the child tax credit,\u201d said PEF President Wayne Spence. \u201cThe Governor\u2019s proposal provides needed capital investments in the SUNY Downstate and Upstate hospitals, the State Museum and the Institute for Basic Research and makes important investments to fortify treatment in the state-operated mental health system.\u202f We look forward to working with her and the Legislature to improve upon this blueprint.\u201d\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Several of the governor\u2019s proposals are supported by PEF, like the proposal to require the Commissioner of Education to submit a report to the Governor and Legislature with information regarding activities, funding and initiatives for the New York State Museum. PEF believes that as long as staff at the museum are included in any decision making, the report and any recommendations could improve working conditions and expand the state museum.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are also some proposals that PEF is against, such as another attempt to enter New York State into the Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact, which could undermine the quality of patient care in this state.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PEF is focused on making sure that the budget and the eventual legislation that results from it reflect the needs of public employees.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the top of the list is safety and security for front-line state employees. PEF is requesting appropriations to increase staffing at the Office of Mental Health (OMH), Office for People with Development Disabilities (OPWDD), Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). Additionally, PEF is calling for $50 million to install body scanners at the State\u2019s secure and forensic facilities in an effort to prevent weapons from being smuggled in that can be used in violent attacks, as well as increased penalties for individuals who assault public employees.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PEF is also calling on the Governor and Legislature to invest $25 million in Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and Intensive Case Management staff at OMH facilities. ACT aims to reduce reliance on hospitals by providing service to those who need it most in a community focused setting. Out of 30 state-operated facilities, only 12 have ACT teams and there are no teams in several major cities, including Syracuse, Rochester, and Albany.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PEF Legislative Director Pat Lyons said that the Governor has committed money to mental health in the past, but critical investments in key areas are needed now.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGovernor Hochul has made a strong, $1 billion commitment to repairing and improving the state\u2019s mental health service network.<\/span>\u202f<\/span> PEF appreciates the investment in re-opening mental health beds closed under Governor Cuomo and establishing new forensic beds for the increasing number of incarcerated individuals or other potentially dangerous individuals being diagnosed with mental illnesses,\u201d said Lyons. \u201cHowever, more resources and more emphasis must be placed on state-operated mental health services, which serve as the safety net provider for uninsured, underinsured, indigent or undocumented New Yorkers.\u201d\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PEF will be reviewing more priorities once budget amendments are made and released by the governor on February 11.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: PEF Vice President Randi DiAntonio will testify in person at the Joint Workforce Development\/Labor hearing on Feb. 26 and the union will submit written testimony to other committees. All the testimonies will be accessible on <\/span><\/i>PEF\u2019s website<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

January 30, 2025 — Affordability and safety were the key talking points for New York Governor Kathy Hochul during her January 14 State of the State address.\u202f The governor spoke…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"division":[],"allowed_regions":[],"allowed_divisions":[],"class_list":["post-6555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","issue-volume-43-no-1"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPEF begins setting priorities for 2025 following executive budget release\u202f - PEF Communicator<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-43-no-1\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PEF begins setting priorities for 2025 following executive budget release\u202f\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"January 30, 2025 — Affordability and safety were the key talking points for New York Governor Kathy Hochul during her January 14 State of the State address.\u202f The governor spoke...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-43-no-1\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PEF Communicator\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-30T14:48:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-30T14:59:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/01\/SoftheS-Book.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"455\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"597\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ksheehan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ksheehan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-43-no-1\\\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-43-no-1\\\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"ksheehan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b56382350a9a958e03dcd60443bfbf7e\"},\"headline\":\"PEF begins setting priorities for 2025 following executive budget release\u202f\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-30T14:48:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-30T14:59:15+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-43-no-1\\\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":798,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-43-no-1\\\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2025\\\/01\\\/SoftheS-Book.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-43-no-1\\\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-43-no-1\\\/pef-begins-setting-priorities-for-2025-following-executive-budget-release\\\/\",\"name\":\"PEF begins setting priorities for 2025 following executive budget release\u202f - 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