Proposal for perks for state workers

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - One state lawmaker is proposing a plan that would call for more perks for state workers.

Many are questioning if now is the right time, as the state struggles to fill a massive deficit.Senator Antoine Thompson submitted the bill in February 2007, and it hasn't even gone out of committee. He still thinks it's a good idea but admits it's not going anywhere right now.

At a time when New York faces a 14 (b) billion dollar deficit, and unions are fighting against any cuts involving public employees, State Senator Antoine Thompson admits a bill he proposed giving more time off to those employees won't be going anywhere soon.

 

"Obviously we know this a serious economic time. However, the purpose of the bill would be to focus on the alarming rate of kids dropping out of school and we need to look at getting parents more involved, that was really the spirit of the bill," said State Senator Antoine Thompson, D, Buffalo.

 

In February 2007, Thompson proposed giving state and local workers two days off, per child, per school year to participate in their children's education.

 

The time off could be unpaid.

 

Senator Thompson said, "Not everyone has those lucrative days off. There are people who are actually hourly workers. There are people that are contract workers as well who don't have excessive days off."

 

"I think what he's trying to do is he's trying to play to his union base," said Rus Thompson, founder of Albany's Insanity.

 

Rus Thompson is the founder of the website Albanysinsanity.com

 

Rus Thompson said, "This is what we talk about with an unfunded mandate. Sure, he says this is not going to cost the state any money. No, it's not going to cost the state any money, it's going to cost us money here on the local economy, Erie County's going to have to pay for it. We have to pay for it in our taxes. Our towns, our villages, our cities, we're gonna have to pay for it because they are on our payroll."

 

Rus Thompson says at a time when many people are struggling to pay their bills, it's not a time for the state to add perks.

Antoine Thompson says parental involvement in most Buffalo schools is under 50-percent, and believes a benefit like this could help increase that number.