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June 2007 > Mayor Brown Will Provide for Full Restoration of Step/Longevity Increases

Mayor Brown Will Provide for Full Restoration of Step and Longevity Increases


Source/Contact
Office of the Mayor
Peter K. Cutler
Director of Communications
716-851-4841

Seeks state legislation to separate all BFSA covered organizations
 
BUFFALO – Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced his goal of restoring full step increases and longevity payments to all city workers affected by the three-year Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority-imposed wage freeze. To help achieve this outcome, the Mayor announced his intention of seeking state legislation that will separate city employees from the other BFSA covered organizations.
 
“Yesterday, I agreed with the members of the BFSA to lift the wage freeze based on verbal assurances from BFSA and Governor’s Office attorneys that such an act could only occur without retroactive step increases and longevity payments,” said Mayor Brown. “Since then, however, members of the control board have stated publicly that such a decision was mine alone. I will, therefore, revert to my original proposal made on May 8, 2007 that the lifting of the wage freeze should allow city workers to be paid the levels of step and longevity increases they would have received if the wage freeze had not been imposed.”
 
Mayor Brown will take this action by submitting a city budget modification to the BFSA providing for the inclusion of all step increases and longevity payments.
 
“I recognize the fiscal impact the lifting of wage freeze could have on all city organizations covered by the BFSA statute,” said Mayor Brown. “So I am today submitting recommended state legislation that will separate the City of Buffalo from all other covered organizations, including the Board of Education.”
 
New York State Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples has agreed to sponsor the legislation, which seeks to amend Section 3851 of the state Public Authority Law, including Section 3 stating,”allows retroactive payments of steps and longevity when the BFSA imposed wage freeze is lifted separately for the city and each covered organization based on whether sufficient funds are available to make these payments.”
 
Mayor Brown noted that the justification for seeking this amendment to the state statute is consistent with his Administration’s contention that, “The fiscal crisis of the City of Buffalo has abated as demonstrated by two successive end of year City surpluses, two successive increases in the City’s credit ratings, and a lifting of the wage freeze as voted by the BFSA yesterday.”