January 9, 2012

Headlines
NY: Sweet golf course deal gives The Donald free ride for 4 years
NY: State’s infrastructure plan leans heavily on private investments
NY: New York poised to make major management changes
FL: Outlook for state workers remains poor
CA: Fresno’s trashy battle: Saying NO to the mayor
NJ: Private-public schools bill advances
OH: Families worry over possible privatization services for disabled

News summaries
NY: Sweet golf course deal gives The Donald free ride for 4 years

Looks like the Donald trumped the city in bidding for a 20-year deal to run a $97 million taxpayer-funded public golf course long considered a Bronx boondoggle. Under a proposed deal with the Parks Department, the oft-delayed 18-hole course will bear the billionaire developer’s name when it opens in spring 2014: Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park. For its first four years of operation, he will have no financial obligation to the city — and in year five, the compensation will only be $300,000, the Daily News found. In contrast, a hot dog vendor agreed three years ago to pay the city more than $600,000 annually for a lease to peddle tube steaks outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A review of the proposed Trump agreement also shows “The Apprentice” puppet-master received city approval to run the public course as a part-time private playground. The ex-presidential hopeful would control 20% of the weekday tee times for private use without any Parks Department oversight. Trump could also close the facility for private use for a full day if he receives an okay from city parks officials….“It’s outrageous that the public is paying to build a championship golf course for Donald Trump,” said Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates. “We will never make back our investment. You can’t make this stuff up.” New York Daily News

NY: State’s infrastructure plan leans heavily on private investments
Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be hoping for heavy private investments to fund his plans to repair the state’s aging infrastructure and upgrade its power grid. Cuomo outlined plans in his State of the State address Wednesday to partner with the private sector to fund road and bridge repairs and expand its power production. “The task for us is to find leverage with private-sector partners,” Cuomo said. In a weak economy with depressed production, it’s unclear whether companies and investors will be rushing to the state’s aid. His plans haven’t been detailed and could take years to develop, particularly a new energy system, industry experts said. “It’s not stuff that’s easily done,” said Jerry Kremer, chairman of the state Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance, a New York City-based business group. Cuomo outlined a $25 billion package Wednesday, including $1 billion for Buffalo, $4 billion in private investment for a Queens convention center, and $15 billion in public and private funding for roads and bridges. Cuomo wants to fast-track at least some of the road work, including a $5 billion replacement of the 56-year-old Tappan Zee Bridge in the Hudson Valley. Democrat and Chronicle

NY: New York poised to make major management changes
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo promised major alterations in both the organization of the public workforce and the day-to-day operations of state agencies. Recommendations range from consolidating agencies with duplicative functions to changes in hiring and performance management protocols. The commission projected significant workforce reductions, raising opposition from some public employee union leaders. Merging transportation-related agencies and authorities would allow the state to reduce its workforce by 450 to 600 full-time employees by 2016, while centralizing back-office functions would allow a reduction of 840 full-time employees. Public Employees Federation President Ken Brynien said in a statement that “if implemented without safeguards in place (the recommendations) could lead to layoffs, increased reliance on costly contracting-out and privatization, and would weaken the civil service merit and fitness system, opening the door to increased patronage and cronyism.”  Stateline

FL:Outlook for state workers remains poor
Gov. Rick Scott and Republican legislative leaders, who promised to run state government like a business, will be working to inject some private-sector competitiveness into state employment during the 2012 legislative session. After a year of layoffs, no pay raises and a 3-percent required retirement-contribution bite into employee paychecks, Big Bend legislators would like to leave state workers alone this year. There won’t be anything like the privatization push, job cuts or pension changes of 2011, but leadership still wants wages and working conditions for state employees to more closely resemble conditions the typical Florida taxpayer faces on the job…For a sixth straight year, the pending state budget provides no general pay raises for state employees. Instead, Scott proposed one-time bonus payments of up to $5,000 for outstanding employees, with agencies allowed to designate up to 35 percent of their workers for some level of payments. It’s a competitive approach that interests state Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, an instructor at Chipola State College. Tallahassee Democrat

CA: Fresno’s trashy battle: Saying NO to the mayor
With signs and slogans they showed up, they say, to let the public know exactly what they think of the recent privatization of city trash services to local businesses. Critics say rates for commercial trash services have gone up by as much as 5% since a private company took over the city’s commercial waste services last month. What they don’t want, says demonstrator Joe Garcia, is to see the same thing happen to homeowners. “I’m a rate payer. I’m a homeowner. I don’t want my rates going up, and I’m sure a lot of people in the city don’t want the same so I think they just really need to pay attention to what’s happening in the city,” Garcia said. Mayor Swearingen has commissioned a study to look into also privatizing residential waste services. The move could potentially bring several million dollars in yearly franchise fees to the city. KMPH Fox 26

NJ: Private-public schools bill advances
A bill that paves a legal path toward new public-private schools in three cities – including the Lanning Square Elementary School in Camden – passed two legislative committees Thursday. Asbury Park Press

OH: Families worry over possible privatization services for disabled
Some families in Union County are worried over the county’s plan to partially privatize some of the services offered by the Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Under a current plan the Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities (UCBDD) could privatize a portion of its services by January 1, 2013. For Tammy Basil, the change would be devastating. Basil’s son Michael relies on the support staff for help through a county program that allows him to have a job. Michael, 22, has autism and his mom says he has “multiple disabilities.” He lives away from his parents and is employed helping to put together car manuals for Honda. Basil and her husband Mark spoke out at a meeting with Union County’s Board of Developmental Disabilities Thursday night in Marysville. The focus of the meeting was to address concerns over privatization that would mean cutting 19 current employees. Those employees work with people with disabilties as they integrate into the work force…The county has lost $500,000 in revenue from the Tangible Personal Property Tax. Miller said he believes the county has seen its peak in terms of revenue income and must now prepare how to handle more services with less money.  NBC4i.com