Governor Paterson Proposes Cap on State Spending

Governor Paterson is working to change the culture of spending in Albany. In his own words: “We are going to ask government to live under the same conditions as taxpayers do – that we live within our means.” To reach that goal, Governor Paterson advanced legislation that will put a cap on state spending. This simple reform will provide real tax relief to New Yorkers. Governor Paterson is now working with the State Legislature to make sure that this important reform becomes a law.  Press Release >>

Cutting Costs Through Bulk Purchasing

Bulk purchasing is cheaper – the more volume you buy, the lower the price. While the State routinely purchases in bulk in a variety of arrangements, Governor Paterson will be initiating new ways to maximize these efforts.

Governor Paterson and the State Office of General Services (OGS) have launched a joint purchasing project that allows agencies to combine certain purchases to  achieve even lower costs. And while local governments can purchase in bulk through OGS-negotiated contracts, Governor Paterson will also allow local governments to join in the joint purchasing initiative. By getting the lowest prices possible, this program will provide fiscal relief to struggling local governments and property tax relief to local taxpayers .

Using Technology to Cut Mailing Costs

Governor Paterson is using information technology to reduce the state's mailing and paper costs--which not only saves taxpayers dollars, but also saves the environment. Last year, Governor Paterson directed the Department of Taxation and Finance to stop automatically mailing tax return packets. Instead, the department encouraged taxpayers to file electronically, download forms from its website, or obtain the forms from the local library. (Taxpayers without access to these sources can still have a packet mailed to them.)

With this simple reform, Governor Paterson saved the State $1.2 million in the 2008 tax year alone.  

Reducing State Travel Costs

Governor Paterson directed all state agencies to cut travel costs by 25%.

Here's his plan:

• Limiting travel to only travel that is absolutely necessary to achieving the agency's core mission.
• Requiring State employees to use conference calls, webinars or teleconferencing in place of travel whenever possible.
• Mandating the use of mass transit when feasible.
• Reducing the number of vehicles assigned to individuals in favor of assigning cars to a "pool" of employees.
• Requiring agencies to use a "trip calculator" to find the cheapest travel option available.
• Increasing the number of purchased hybrid and fuel-efficient cars, which decreases gas and maintenance costs.
• Encouraging – and in some cases requiring -- car pools and shuttles for travel between certain destinations. Learn More >>

Governor Paterson Issues Strict Policy for State Vehicle Use

Governor Paterson’s Budget Office issued a strict new policy to reduce wasteful spending on state travel and achieve more efficient management in the use of state vehicles in order to eliminate fraud and abuse.  The policy includes the following rules, among others:

• Cars will no longer be permanently assigned to agency heads of high-level cabinet officials.
• Agencies are required to report on the standards being adopted to reduce fraud and increase the ability to audit vehicle usage to ensure proper use of state vehicles.
• Pool cars must be used, when available, to avoid the higher costs of reimbursement for personal car mileage.
• Agencies must maximize the return on investment when considering replacing a pool car with a new one.
• Agencies are prohibited from purchasing SUVs without approval from the Division of the Budget and the Executive Chamber and only where an SUV is necessary to carry out the agency's duties.
• Agencies are encouraged to purchase hybrid vehicles, where possible. Learn More>>  

Holding Public Authorities Accountable to Taxpayers

Governor Paterson is restoring the meaning of the word “public” in public authorities. To do this, Governor Paterson created the Public Authority Oversight Council, which will hold state public authorities more accountable to the taxpayers who fund their operations. The Council will start by looking at the pay and expenses of executive staff: Are they making too much?; Are they spending too much?: Are they receiving excessive benefits and perks?

Governor Paterson has already achieved results. Last year, for example, he discovered that state public authorities were only submitting required reports 70% of the time; these reports are critical to government transparency because they allow taxpayers and elected officials to monitor public authority spending.So the Governor stepped in and demanded greater compliance. The results? Reporting among state public authorities increased from 70% to 90%. Annual Reports >> 

Eliminating Wasteful State Commissions, Task Forces and Advisory Councils

Governor Paterson is reviewing state commissions, task forces, cabinets, and advisory councils--nearly 600 of them. And he will eliminate the ones that are not necessary.

Rejecting New Spending

In July, Governor Paterson vetoed 14 bills passed by the State Legislature, saving the State $5.7 million Learn More >>; in August, he vetoed 14 more bills, saving another $5.4 million Learn More >>. He vetoed these bills because they would have added to the state’s budget deficit, without providing essential services. Governor Paterson said: “This is not the time to add to the State’s spending or to increase the burden on the State’s taxpayers. While these bills address important causes, government has to live within its means – just like regular New Yorkers do every day. That means making difficult choices so we can lay the foundation for our economic recovery.”