One of the hallmarks of Gov. David Paterson’s early-retirement plan is the mandate that state agency supervisors who grant it to their workers must abolish those job titles. That aspect of the program has led to charges that agency heads are reluctant to let people take the retirement incentive for fear they will lose too many staffers permanently.
But that’s not the case with New York’s large court system, where many of those taking the incentive will be likely be replaced — allowing the judiciary to continue to grow unabated. It’s a lesson in just how hard it is to truly downsize state government, with its many moving parts and multiple jurisdictions.
“We will be refilling positions,” said Lawrence Marks, administrative director at the Office of Court Administration, which oversees state courts, including trial and appeals operations…
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