Let’s face it, we all get how things work in Albany. It’s the art of the deal. You need this and I want that, so let’s see what we can do to make everyone happy. Is it the best way to go about the business of governing? Perhaps not, but it is what it is.
Frankly, [...]
Can a school district/municipal government freeze contributions to the pension fund?
The simple answer is no. Currently, New York provides a defined contribution plan that is guaranteed by taxpayers. The contribution rate promised to employees upon entering the pension system is constitutionally guaranteed and as a property right, cannot be diminished. The pension system is funded [...]
Do school district/municipal government retirees contribute to the cost of healthcare?
Local government employees are entitled to benefits (health, dental, life insurance premiums, etc.) when they retire based on the contractual provisions of a collective bargaining agreement. Since healthcare contributions are not part of a pension benefit, they are not constitutionally guaranteed and therefore can be [...]
Can school districts/municipal governments require the same level of contribution to its healthcare plan that New York State requires of its employees? The answer is no. Health insurance coverage is collectively bargained between the local government and the union but the existing laws make it difficult to negotiate health insurance packages that take into account [...]
Can a school district/municipal government suspend salary increments or step increases while operating under an expired contract?
The Triborough Amendment of the Taylor Law dictates that all provisions of an expired agreement continue until the parties agree to a new agreement, making it illegal for the local government to refuse to continue the terms of an [...]
Can a school district/municipal government attempt to negotiate a new contract with its employees to help control salary and benefit costs?
A school district/municipal government can ask the union to negotiate a new contract but much like the inability to freeze salaries or benefits, no unilateral decisions are permitted under the Taylor Law (see question 1). [...]
Q: Can a school district/municipal government freeze salaries and benefits under the current contract for all employees at their present levels?
A: A school district/municipal government cannot unilaterally freeze salaries and benefits at the present levels. Unlike the private sector, local governments must operate under the Taylor Law which applies to employee groups, such as teachers’ [...]
Thus far, 2012 has been relatively uneventful. We had some late night bills passed and a budget that was not only on-time, but early and with flat spending and no increases in taxes and fees. But all of that could change over the coming weeks.
In early May, all of us as taxpayers will have the [...]
The concept of paying a prevailing wage dates back more than 70 years to passage by Congress of the Davis Bacon Act. This 1931 Act made prevailing wage federal policy in the construction industry, where the Act’s proponents claimed that project bids accepted based on price had created a downward push on workers’ wages historically. [...]
As we take a breather from legislative activity due to the “break” at the Capital, it is a good time to review what has been done and talk about what’s next. Clearly, a lot has been accomplished. We had an early budget that is essentially devoid of tax and fee increases. Significant legislation was passed [...]
