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WPCNR ALBANY ROUNDS. By John F. Bailey. August 9, 2010:

 

A spokesperson for the New York State Budget Division press office, Eric Kriss denied today that stimulus money from the ARRA (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) was directly figured into closing the $9.2 Billion budget gap last week, as reported by 89^th District (White Plains-Lewisboro) Assemblyman Robert Castelli  Friday. The $5.7 Billion (in unused stimulus money)  going to plug the budget gap was reported by Castelli to WPCNR Friday.

 

However, on closer questioning, Kriss allowed that $5.7 Billion in stimulus money was in the budget, so in a sense, “it was true,” that the ARRA money was balancing the budget.

 

Robert Whelan of the Comptroller’s Press Office confirmed to WPCNR that $5.7 Billion of stimulus (ARRA funds) was included in the budget, and  contributed to filling the budget gap, and was indeed unspent. He said it depended on what you spent it on during the course of the current year, but it would be spent. Whelan added that the Comptroller’s Office pointed out in July that$14.8 Billion in the present 2010-11 budget passed last week was based on “non-recurring revenues.” “We have a balanced budget, not a good budget. We have balanced the budget on hope,” Whelan told WPCNR.

 

 

Asked if the Comptroller would be breaking down how the $9.2 Billion gap is actually being met, said the Comptroller’s Office was in the process of analyzing the budget passed last week.

 

Kriss, the press spokesperson for the budget office denied that the $5.7 Billion of ARRA money was filling the major portion of the budget gap, because “none of it (the ARRA $5.7 Million)  was included in figuring the gap. We used $800 Million of the FMAP (federal Medicaid reimbursement funds), but did not include the stimulus money.” Kriss said that Castelli probably got that information that the  $5.7 Billion stimulus funds were balancing the budget from the Comptroller’s Office.

 

Kriss maintained the $9.2 Billion gap was closed by  withholding tax credits from businesses, tax increases, sales tax increases, fee increases and cuts made previously in interim spending bills passed over the last three months were used to eliminate the $9.2 Billion gap.

 

WPCNR asked if the state was borrowing from the pension fund as  Assemblyman Castelli reported. Kriss denied the pension fund involvement  “in the traditional sense,” because, he said the $1 billion attributed as “pension borrowing” by Castelli was not borrowing, and that it has not been decided whether or not to do this  yet, that the state was instead,  going to “amortize” part of the state pension fund costs for this year, but would not actually decide to do that until March of 2011.

 

Kriss  asked by WPCNR today if unused ARA money was still in the budget  allowed that  “ARRA funds in the amount of $5.7 Billion were included in the (passed) budget, so I suppose in that sense, (of being included in the budget) it is true.”

 

The July Comptroller’s Analysis

 

On page 5 of a news release from the Comptroller’s office analyzing the revenue plan, the Comptroller’s office writes:

 

“The State Fiscal Year 2010-11 Executive Budget included approximately $12.8 billion in non-recurring or temporary resources, most of which were accepted int the Enacted Budget.This includes $5.7 Billion in federal stimulous funds as well as $5.5 billion from the temporary increase in the Personal Income Tax enacted last year, both of which are scheduled to expire in the near future.”

 

Tab for State Government: $374 Million a Day.

 

Given that the 2010-11 New York State budget passed last week is $136.5 Billion, it costs New Yorkers $373,972,600 a Day to open New York State every day.

WPCNR HEALTHCARE HERALD TRIBUNE. From Stellaris Network. August 4, 2010:

 

 Stellaris Health Network and Empire BlueCross BlueShield have agreed to a new three-year contract, effective August 1, 2010. The contract restores in-network access to Stellaris facilities and providers for Empire policyholders and employer groups. No action is required by Empire members to continue services at any Stellaris Health Network facility

 

The previous contract expired April 1, 2010. The new agreement covers Stellaris Health Network hospitals, including:  White Plains Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital, Phelps Memorial Hospital and Lawrence Hospital Center.

 

Empire members enrolled in commercial HMO, EPO, POS, PPO or indemnity products or Medicare Advantage HMO and PPO products may again receive covered services at Stellaris facilities and from physicians who are contracted with Stellaris with the highest level of benefits and lowest out-of-pocket cost.

In a joint statement, Arthur A. Nizza, President and CEO of Stellaris Health Network and Mark Wagar, President and CEO, Empire BlueCross BlueShield said: “We recognize how difficult the out-of-network situation has been for our patients and members. We are pleased that we now have a new agreement on a three-year contract that allows Empire and Stellaris to partner in a way that recognizes our joint responsibilities in helping to improve the quality and affordability of healthcare.”