First published in print: Saturday, November 8, 2008
"Let's run New York state government like a private business."
Every so often we hear this phrase from candidates for governor and other elected offices. We heard it from Lew Lehrman a couple of decades ago, more recently from Tom Golisano. And didn't it sound like a good idea every time?
New York state government cannot ever be run like a private business.
First, there is no profit motive, and no stock or shareholders to account to. The taxpayer is simply a funding source and is never looked on by governors or lawmakers as someone they are accountable to. Candidates may say they're working for the taxpayers' concerns, but that is not remotely the same as working to generate a dividend for a corporate shareholder.
In the private sector, when economic and fiscal times are good, unemployment rates are low and most employees look for and receive raises and bonuses. When economic and fiscal times are disastrous, unemployment goes up, and most employees are happy just to not be laid off or have their salary cut.
What happens in New York state government? In good times, the stock market boom creates budget surpluses and the Legislature immediately appropriates additional money to spend, rather than be fiscally prudent. Agencies hire non-essential staff, many through the "political patronage system." Unions push for higher raises and benefits.
In hard times, there are no layoffs, although threats are made by the governor. There is a moratorium on hiring, except for state agency heads with some "juice" with the governor or legislative leaders. Union contract raises continue to be paid despite the state's multi-billion dollar deficits. This is a huge difference. In the state, a job is considered by the employees to be an entitlement, like Medicaid or public assistance, and therein lies the problem in trying to run New York like a business.
In the private sector, everyone gets to share the pain in the bad times, and revel in the good times. State employees never share any pain. "It's all good."
And state employees wonder why the term state employee gets a bad rap. I don't wonder anymore.
Douglas Boettner Albany doug.boettner@gmail.com The writer retired after 36 years as a state employee.
What Doug described was how things really work under a socialist state/country. Why work harder when you're going to get the same pay for sitting on your a**.
Good editorial Mr.Douglas Boettner. But after 36 years of state service, I'll bet you have a great state penion (that you don't pay taxes on) and great medical benefits paid for by us, the taxpayer.
You must have thought it was great while you were working. You were working for the enormous amount of time off, benefits, and retirement. I mean what a great place to work. You not only receive these wonderful tax paid benefits, but you don't even have to work that hard for them.
Sorry Mr. Boettner, just a little too late.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I will give him and E for effort and passing on knowledge......who will pick up the ball and have the kahunas enough to 'fix it', change it or whatever
yes the changing of the guard is coming---let's see what the next generation shall do......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
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