Rumbling Thunder: Who Can Best Navigate the Impending Budget Tsunami?
First, have you voted? Ballots must be received by Thursday, May 30th by 9 am. Don’t procrastinate!!!
A leader of one the opposition caucuses advocated working with Republicans as well as Democrats, the problem is there are none. The Republicans in Congress are all onboard, the issue that divides the Republicans is the magnitude of the cuts.
As I write the House of Representatives, the Republicans in the House are crafting a “big beautiful mega-bill,” slashing Medicaid and SNAP and on and on, many of hundreds of billions, amid vigorous opposition among the Republicans, who argue cuts aren’t large enough, in spite of only a few vote Republican majority the Democrats have no role.
The Freedom Caucus refused to support the bill in committee, not harsh enough, the Republican leadership response,“Don’t be surprised in the coming days when the White House activates allies on the outside while Trump employs the inside game to move people to ‘yes,’” … the Trump administration official … warned obstructionists they’ll pay a price. ‘Voters gave them a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass a good bill,’ … ‘And for those who vote against, they should know their careers are in jeopardy.’”
Arms are twisted, under the table promises, the Republican bill will pass, what happens in the Senate? A 53-47 Republican edge, will four Republicans challenge Trump? I doubt it!!!
On the home front Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams appear to be oblivious, the Governor trying to improve her dismal approval rating and Mayor Adams seeking support for his November reelection bid. The Empire Center reports
The likely impact of federal health-care cutbacks has diminished in recent days as House Republican leaders backed away from some of their bigger-ticket proposals, estimated savings to $625 billion from previous figures of $715 billion and $880 billion.
The plan also lost a preliminary vote in the Budget Committee on Friday, raising new doubt about its ultimate passage as both moderate and hard-line Republicans raise objections.
Still, New York’s big-spending Medicaid program potentially stands to lose billions if the package does go through.
Billions, that’s plural. In the last budget cycle, the federal share of the state budget was $90 billion.
Although the Democrats control the governorship and both houses of the legislature their relationship has deteriorated from year to year. The leaders of the Assembly and the Senate are discussing a constitutional amendment to limit the role of the Governor in the budgeting process. (Must be approved by two consecutive legislative sessions and the public as a referendum). No love between the Governor and the legislative leaders. The legislative session ends in early June due to the primary, time to campaign is at the top of the legislative list.
Even before the budget bill in Washington the Feds changed a rule and cut a billion out of the state budget.
The current changes to the just approved budget state education funding formula cut NYC funding by 300M.
How will the state fill in the budget gaps? Who will make the decisions? The Governor or the legislature and the Governor?
Higher taxes? Highly unlikely.
Who gets priority? Medicaid? Education?
Will the Governor drop her plan for a $400 check for every family making under $300,000? Of course not.
Who will be “..in the room where it happens”?
And how will New York City’s budget be impacted? A Mayor and Speaker of the City Council, one term limited, a newly elected Mayor not taking office until January 1, a new Council leader not elected until the first week in January- who’s at the reins?
Who do you want leading the UFT?
Not neophytes calling for a strike?
We need a leader who will be “in the room where it happens,” with the Albany legislative leaders as well as whomever is running the city.
Mulgrew and his team, and let me emphasize his team, have the skills and expertise, navigating the hallways in Albany and 250 Broadway (City Council Offices).
In 1975 we moved from the edge of a negotiated contract to many thousands of layoffs, a weak Mayor, an aggressive Comptroller who saw bankruptcy as the best option. Al Shanker, our leader, led us through what appeared a catastrophe.
Will Mayor Cuomo (or whoever emerges as mayor) have the interests of union members at the top of his list?
Can the Mayor, the Governor and the legislative leaders work together?
I’m an omnivorous reader and researcher, why did the stock market crash in 1929? Could President Hoover have averted the Great Recession? Why did the German electorate support the Nazi Party? I read Paul Krugman , Noah Smith and Jarod Bernstein every day, it’s sounding eerily similar.
Are there lessons to be learned?
One lesson: union leadership is essential: experienced, tough, collaborative and respected, by the union membership, city and state leaders and those folks in the shadows who can whisper in the right ears.
Mulgrew and his team are the leaders our members deserve and the children and families we serve need.
Unity has been elected by the membership, we don’t take turns. Policy is membership driven, District Reps visit schools every day, meet weekly and at the borough level and monthly at the city level, Within Unity there is vigorous discussion, and, a major impediments are management and politics… if you want to impact change, join Unity, all voices welcome
Unity has been in power since the start of the UFT.
And as far as I am concerned, that is the problem. They rely on past achievements and are comfortable in their power. Comfortable enough that they have lost their connection with the rank and file.
Contracts over the past decade (or more) are filled with givebacks. We seem to be paying for our own miniscule raises with higher copays, longer hours and loss of independence. While groups of members (notably paraprofessionals and therapists) have been ignored in contact negotiations and when they vote down the contact, instead of renegotiating, they are told to revote because the UFT doesn't think that they can do better.
As a retiree, I am particularly concerned with the promise of healthcare savings and the attempt to force us into a Medicare Advantage program. While NYCOPSR has fought for our rights successfully so far, unity has only paid lip service to our needs and then only after they lost the RTC election. Further, they are working on a new in-service plan that will somehow be better than what we have while saving the city 10% of the costs.
UFT leadership needs a change.