By GREGORY N. HEIRES

As the city considers solutions to the looming budget gap, District Council 37 has unveiled a plan that could save more than $600 million - by improving productivity and returning work from private firms and higher-paid uniformed forces to civilian city employees.

"The mayor asked for recommendations for increased savings and revenues and we are here to deliver," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts at a May 2 news conference on the steps of City Hall.

An enthusiastic contingent of 100 DC 37 officers, local leaders and staff accompanied Ms. Roberts as she released the 43-page report, "We Can Do the Work: How the City can Save over $600 Million without Cutting Services."

The union "white paper" resulted from a two-month task force study that began with members and elected leaders pointing out waste in municipal agencies. Ms. Roberts decided to produce the document to help the city grapple with the $5 billion budget gap created by declining revenues, the economic impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack and overspending by the Giuliani administration.
"It was not the city workforce that caused this crisis, and we believe the budget should not be balanced on the backs of our 125,000 members," Ms. Roberts said.

"We agree with the mayor that we are all in this together - the city, our members, the unemployed and business - and we have to pull together to find forward-looking solutions," she said.



Local leaders speak
She pledged that DC 37 would continue its effort to identify government waste to help the Bloomberg administration close the budget gap and provide vital services more efficiently.

At the press conference, Ms. Roberts called on several officers and local leaders to describe some of the proposals. The speakers included Veronica Montgomery-Costa, president of DC 37 and Board of Education Employees Local 372; Mark Rosenthal, treasurer of DC 37 and president of Motor Vehicle Operators Local 983; Edward W. Hysyk, secretary of DC 37 and president of Electronic Data Processing Personnel Local 2627; Eddie Rodriguez, president of Clerical-Administrative Local 1549; Claude Fort, president of Civil Service Technical Guild Local 375; and Patrick J. Bahnken, president of EMTs and Paramedics Local 2507.

The DC 37 White Paper also calls for restoring the commuter tax and initiatives in economic development and job creation. Combined with the $600 million in savings, these would bring into the city at least an extra $1 billion.

The report highlights four short-term initiatives that could be implemented within six months to a year:

Agencies consider implementation
The report received attention in the media and positive responses from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Gifford Miller.

As this special issue of PEP went to press, some agencies had requested meetings with DC 37 locals to discuss potential implementation of proposals in the White Paper.

"To resolve the fiscal problems confronting all New Yorkers, it is very important for the city to actually achieve the savings we are talking about," said Ms. Roberts. "The results should also prove useful in upcoming contract negotiations."