Conservatives Urge Governor to Veto Spano Bill that Increases the Number of State Employees

Ft. Hamilton Station, NY – The following letter has been sent to Governor George E. Pataki urging the immediate veto of Senator Nick Spano’s Bill (S6758) which would add 52,000 employees to the state payroll.

Dear Governor Pataki:

                Re: Senate Bill 6758 / Assembly Bill 10060

The above referenced bill, if signed into law by you, is simply very poor policy and would open a Pandora’s Box in trying to administer it.

While those who voted for this bill may have believed they were in fact trying to help the day-care industry, nothing could be farther from the reality of what this bill would actually do.

The state is currently drowning in debt and to consider adding 52,000 day-care providers as state employees is not a fiscally feasible. The bills legislative support memo is very disingenuous by claiming that there is no fiscal implication. Should this bill become law, the actually cost to parents who use day-care will increase as the minimum wage increases or private day-care providers may be forced to lay-off employees due to the increased costs, which would ultimately hurt those who need it most.

This bill is a blatant attempt to increase the numbers of organized labor by the United Federation of Teachers as evidenced by the fact that they are pushing the bill and signing up day-care workers even before you have signed it into law. I am unaware of any movement by day-care workers themselves to organize. In fact, many private day-care workers would not want to be subject to the union obligations that they would be subject to…especially being forced to pay union dues. Another thought, what agency would be responsible for the 52,000 new state employees?

Governor, this bill is fiscally unsound and technically flawed in its goal and in implementation. I urge you to veto it.