Assemblyman David S. Sidikman (D-Old Bethpage) announced that the Assembly introduced a comprehensive reform plan to make New York's budget process more open, accountable and efficient.

"Taxpayers should feel confident that their tax dollars are being spent wisely and efficiently," Sidikman said. "This plan overhauls how the budget is negotiated and shines light on state spending by making more expenditures subject to budget negotiation checks and balances - and ensuring the right choices are being made for working families."

The Assembly's reform package would change the beginning of the fiscal year from April 1 to May 1 (A.8989). "Starting the state's fiscal year a month later will provide us with more accurate revenue forecasts and give the Legislature more time to review the details of the governor's budget proposal so we can make better decisions," Sidikman said.

To address ongoing scandals and questionable accounting tactics within a myriad of state authorities and public benefit corporations, the Assembly proposed new legislation to combat those abuses. The measure would require state-related spending by most authorities involved in state functions to be included as part of the overall budget process.

"It's extremely troubling that secrecy is so pervasive within some public authorities - closed books and covert decisions. It's time for greater public scrutiny and legislative oversight," Sidikman said. "This reform will bring long overdue accountability and openness to state authorities."

The Assembly's reform package would also open hearings on state agency budgets to the public, require the governor to include more detail in his budget submission, increase the tax stabilization fund - allowing the state to put more money away in "rainy day" funds, and withhold the governor's salary until the budget is passed (A.8991). Currently, legislators' salaries are withheld. Ideally, this measure would encourage the governor to become more actively involved in the budget process.

The plan also creates a state legislative budget office to provide objective, non-partisan analysis of state revenues, expenditures and management practices (A.8446-A). The office would be modeled after the Congressional Budget Office and the New York City Independent Budget Office.

"A legislative budget office would make a revenue forecast that could be used to make decisions in a non-partisan manner," Assemblyman Sidikman said.

To improve efficiency and save taxpayers dollars, the Assembly's plan would also:

* create a strategic planning and performance measurement system to detail what the state budgets and spends, and determine how effectively and efficiently state agencies are operating (A.8990);

* require additional reporting on the acquisition of information technology to keep officials and the public aware of how much money is being spent on those purchases (A.6977-A); and

* provide state agencies access to information about responsible bidders on state contracts, helping them determine a bidder's history of contract performance and compliance with laws (A.3730).

"The Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) ensures access to quality, affordable health care for many New Yorkers. However, currently over half of the program's funding is administered outside the scope of the state budget," said Sidikman. "This lack of oversight could put health care at risk for many of our most vulnerable citizens."

The Assembly introduced a bill establishing the Health Care Reform Act State Budget Transition Fund, which would receive HCRA revenues and be under the watch of the state comptroller (A.9106). More than half of the program, or approximately $2 billion annually, is currently "off-budget" and not subject to the normal financial checks and balances that would ensure accountability. The governor would be required to put this spending "on-budget" by providing appropriations for this program in the executive budget proposal.

"Opening up New York's budget process will help ensure the priorities of New York's families are being met," Sidikman said. "New Yorkers would be confident that their hard-earned money is being put to good use: improving education, providing quality health care, and revitalizing the economy - if they have a solid understanding of what's in the budget."