While DC 37 is cautious on the overall budget, the union applauds Mayor Bloomberg's move toward civilianization and away from the sale of OTB, as well as his plan to seek more state and federal funds.

By MOLLY CHARBONEAU

When Mayor Michael Bloomberg released the $41.4 billion Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2003 on Feb. 13, he started an adoption process that will run through June.

For the year beginning July 1, the city faces a $4.8 billion budget gap created by the current economic recession and the effects of the Sept. 11 disaster.

To close the gap, the mayor proposed agency budget reductions of up to 20 percent, transitional financing, an appeal for federal and state aid, an early retirement/severance program and fringe benefit cost containment.

"We are concerned that the size and scope of the service reductions called for are too large for the citizens of the City of New York to absorb," said Dennis Sullivan, director of DC 37's Research and Negotiations Dept.

"The city's budget must be balanced, but in ways that do not jeopardize the delivery of essential services, or the jobs and livelihoods of the workers, many of them members of District Council 37, who deliver those services," said Mr. Sullivan.

Fortunately, Mayor Bloomberg's plan does not rely solely on spending cuts to close the projected budget gap. He also favors increasing the number of civilian workers in the New York City Police Dept. - a remedy long advocated by DC 37 - allowing the city to maintain public safety more efficiently. And the union supports the mayor's call for increased federal and state aid to New York City, especially for costs associated with Medicaid.

Mayor Bloomberg has also indicated that he is seriously reconsidering the previous administration's plan to sell the Off-Track Betting Corp. No income from the proposed sale is included in the FY 2003 budget.

OTB: No sale
"I view this as a victory for the 2,000-plus union workers at OTB, and it makes sense," said Leonard Allen, president of Off-Track Betting Corp. Employees Local 2021.

"OTB generates millions of dollars a year for the city. With proper management and fewer wagering restrictions, it could produce even more."

Nevertheless, there are many areas of the budget plan - such as proposed cuts in agency budgets and fringe benefit costs and the continued erosion of the full-time work force - that the union will be watching closely as the budget process unfolds (see Projected agency cuts).

The agency reduction program does not detail how many city workers are expected to take advantage of early retirement and severance programs. However, the budget projects $100 million in savings, meaning the city anticipates that between 2,500 and 3,000 workers could opt for the early-out plans.

"We stand ready to work with the Mayor and the City Council in the months ahead to protect the services that the public deserves and our members are proud to provide," said Mr. Sullivan.

Saving through civilianization
The mayor's plan projects millions of dollars in savings through civilianizing some positions in the Police Dept. while maintaining the current size of the uniformed force. The budget calls for 800 civilians to take over slots now filled by uniformed officers. Civilianization of NYPD positions alone will save approximately $40 million per year.

The plan also calls for civilianizing 29 positions in the Fire Dept., saving hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and placing civilians in Export Relay posts in the Sanitation Dept., saving $5.5 million in FY 2003.