http://wnymedia.net/wnymedia/smith/2008/11/state-budget-woes-and-public-unions/ Buffalo and Western New York's online news resource Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:42:40 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 http://wnymedia.net/wnymedia/smith/2008/11/state-budget-woes-and-public-unions/comment-page-1/#comment-5264 Jane Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:27:58 +0000 http://www.buffalogeek.wnymedia.net/?p=890#comment-5264 The unions ARE going to take a hit. The Dept. of Corrections (DOCS) plans to close all of its minimum security camps and had already begun "consolidating" other prisons earlier this year. The displaced corrections officers will be transferred to other parts of the state (away from their families and homes) or laid off. The prisons left are already operating above 100% capacity, but DOCS consistently lies about that. Does it seem fair to stick it to the corrections officers (and their union NYSCOPBA) when the prison superintendants each make $100,000+ salaries, get state vehicles and gas cards for them, get free state housing and spend most of their time driving said state vehicles around instead of working?? Now there is a place to start cutting. Make 1 superintendant responsible for an entire prison hub instead of 1 prison...for the SAME pay and perks or make them all give up the perks and take a pay cut. I'm sure these types of salaries/perks for very little work are rampant throughout the state's different departments. CUT FROM THE TOP DOWN!!! And yes, the state does plan to release criminals bac onto the street early as part of the new budget. Read the Dept. of Corrections or public safety sections for yourself or go to NYSCOPBA.org for a different version of the state's "truth" about NYS prison capacity. The unions ARE going to take a hit. The Dept. of Corrections (DOCS) plans to close all of its minimum security camps and had already begun “consolidating” other prisons earlier this year. The displaced corrections officers will be transferred to other parts of the state (away from their families and homes) or laid off. The prisons left are already operating above 100% capacity, but DOCS consistently lies about that. Does it seem fair to stick it to the corrections officers (and their union NYSCOPBA) when the prison superintendants each make $100,000+ salaries, get state vehicles and gas cards for them, get free state housing and spend most of their time driving said state vehicles around instead of working?? Now there is a place to start cutting. Make 1 superintendant responsible for an entire prison hub instead of 1 prison…for the SAME pay and perks or make them all give up the perks and take a pay cut. I’m sure these types of salaries/perks for very little work are rampant throughout the state’s different departments. CUT FROM THE TOP DOWN!!! And yes, the state does plan to release criminals bac onto the street early as part of the new budget. Read the Dept. of Corrections or public safety sections for yourself or go to NYSCOPBA.org for a different version of the state’s “truth” about NYS prison capacity.

]]> http://wnymedia.net/wnymedia/smith/2008/11/state-budget-woes-and-public-unions/comment-page-1/#comment-5265 Pauldub Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:05:51 +0000 http://www.buffalogeek.wnymedia.net/?p=890#comment-5265 Don't forget we can balance the budget if we just start collecting those cigarette taxes from those pesky Indians! Don’t forget we can balance the budget if we just start collecting those cigarette taxes from those pesky Indians!

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