OPINION: Time To Drain The Swamp With The MERIT Act

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You cannot drain the swamp, unless you can fire the swamp. That is why Representatives’ Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13) proposing the federal MERIT Act is so important. No, it isn’t a wholesale elimination of civil-service protections against political firings; in fact, it is a fairly tame change in the federal-government employment […]

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You cannot drain the swamp, unless you can fire the swamp. That is why Representatives’ Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13) proposing the federal MERIT Act is so important.

No, it isn’t a wholesale elimination of civil-service protections against political firings; in fact, it is a fairly tame change in the federal-government employment law. At its core, all it does is allow an expedited process for firing incompetent, recalcitrant, or lazy federal employees.

The current system rewards the worse employees in the federal government and punishes the best and even the average. But the MERIT Act would change that.

According to the bill’s summary, “The MERIT Act repeals the Chapter 43 special process for acting against poor performers and bad actors, which is unnecessarily time-consuming, and streamlines the Chapter 75 process for removal or suspension of employees and supervisors. The MERIT Act also permits agencies to remove a senior executive from the civil service for performance reasons, rather than merely demoting the individual to a non-Senior Executive Service (SES) position.”

Because it is currently next to impossible to fire a federal civil-service employee, managers have to choose when confronted by a bad employee on whether to endure an often multi-year long process of failed performance-improvement plans, endless human-resources meetings, and other remediations in order to fire someone.

The natural result is that managers often choose to just isolate the bad employees, not giving them anything to do and paying them anyway. It simply isn’t worth it to risk failing to meet your performance expectations because you are spending so much time and energy on employees who have zero interest in doing their job.

The net result is that other employees end up doing their own job and part of someone else’s. And the only people who benefit are the government-employee union lawyers who keep their jobs, human-resources staff that deals with these problems as their job, and the person who is effectively stealing money from the U.S. taxpayer.

Creating an expedited system to fire the worse employees simply makes sense.

The MERIT Act fits perfectly in this new world where government systems are being evaluated to determine the best ways to create efficiencies and maximize taxpayer value.

Representatives Loudermilk and Luna are doing the right thing by being the point of this spear, and the American people look forward to the MERIT Act’s reintroduction and it will be up to the new Congress to make this common-sense reform happen.

Rick Manning is president of Americans for Limited Government, a nonprofit organization advocating for reducing the size and scope of government to maximize individual freedom.

Barclay Damon adds insurance litigation partner

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Barclay Damon recently announced that Erin Tyreman has joined the law firm as a partner in its torts & products liability defense and professional liability practice areas. Her primary office location is Syracuse. With nearly 15 years of experience trying cases in state and federal courts, Tyreman represents clients in a wide range

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OPINION: New Wetlands Regulations: Another Overreach from Albany

Opinion

Headline-chasing environmental policies that lack common sense and fiscal awareness continue to inhibit progress in New York state. In addition to a completely unworkable green-energy

Operating engineers union to get more than $85M in federal funding for pensions

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Manufacturing & Engineering, Subscriber Only

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Fund will receive an $85.5 million pension fix from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The federal money will restore full pension benefits for more than 6,400 union workers and their families across upstate New York from Buffalo to the Capital Region, the office of U.S.

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The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Fund will receive an $85.5 million pension fix from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The federal money will restore full pension benefits for more than 6,400 union workers and their families across upstate New York from Buffalo to the Capital Region, the office of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced on Jan. 13. He was Senate majority leader when the law passed.

The IUOE Fund covers union construction engineers from Buffalo to Syracuse to Albany. The funding comes from the Special Financial Assistance, or SFA, program, per the announcement.

Schumer’s office said the announcement comes “after years of advocacy to secure relief for ailing multiemployer pension plans for union workers.”

After the 2008 financial crash, many union workers’ in multiemployer pension plans were in danger of collapse “due to out-of-control speculation on Wall Street,” Schumer contended.

Multiemployer plans are created through agreements between employers and a union, with plans typically involving multiple employers in a single industry or related industries. “Countless” families and workers faced the prospect of losing out on retirement savings “through no fault of their own,” the New York senator said.

“Upstate New York’s operating engineers union members work hard every day to ensure our buildings, roads, highways, and bridges are safe. These are the men and women who operate heavy equipment, like bulldozers, backhoes and graders on construction sites, who worked hard, played by the rules and paid into pension plans that — through no fault of their own — were at-risk of being drastically cut or even completely disappearing. So I’m very proud to deliver over $85 million in federal relief to help almost 6,500 union construction workers across Upstate ensure their hard-earned pension benefits remain intact for many years into the future and ensure they can retire after a lifetime of hard work,” Schumer said in the announcement.

His office says the senator fought to include the Butch Lewis Act in the American Rescue Plan — securing pension solvency — in his first major bill as Senate majority leader. Before the American Rescue Plan, more than 200 multiemployer plans were on pace to become insolvent in the near term, risking benefits for millions of workers and their families.

The law created the Special Financial Assistance program administered by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to protect benefits for millions of workers, reverse pension cuts, and put existing plans on a path to solvency through 2051. To date, the program has provided billions in federal assistance to support thousands of construction-industry workers, per Schumer’s office.

SU to use donation to create endowed chair in engineering and computer science

Education & Training, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — A 1980 graduate has made a donation to Syracuse University (SU) that is “designed to be transformative” for school’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) “and the region.” The donation from William (Ted) Frantz will establish the William T. Frantz Endowed Chair in Engineering and Computer Science, SU said in its Dec.

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The donation from William (Ted) Frantz will establish the William T. Frantz Endowed Chair in Engineering and Computer Science, SU said in its Dec. 20 announcement.

The school will partially match the donation through the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program. SU didn’t disclose the dollar amount of the Frantz donation.

Frantz earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from SU’s ECS. He has donated annually to the school “for many years,” SU noted.

“The idea for this gift has been simmering for nearly 20 years,” Frantz said in the SU announcement.

The engineer-turned-investor — who has studied and invested in many promising concepts and companies — says his newest investment in ECS as part of the Forever Orange campaign was a “matter of just-the-right timing,” SU said.

“The timing is ideal, coming on the heels of Micron Technology’s $100 billion commitment to the region,” Frantz said, noting the partnership opportunities between the technology company and SU are a “boon” for students, faculty and the wider community. “It’s a great time to invest in the University, the expansion of the engineering program and in the region. These things tend to build on each other.”

Frantz draws similarities to the success of Silicon Valley, where he once worked for Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ)

“I witnessed the growth of Silicon Valley and how nearby universities like Stanford, Berkeley and Santa Clara provided the intellectual expertise, engineering and research,” he says.

Forward-looking investors seized opportunities brought about by the region’s dynamic partnerships and ingenuity, he added.

Investing in new ideas has always held appeal for Frantz, who has provided capital for companies exploring new computer technologies and biotech firms developing new therapeutics for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and other diseases, SU said.

“It’s the challenge of seeing something grow and make a go of it, get off the ground and get bigger,” Frantz said.

“Ted is a visionary in his approach to philanthropy,” Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, said in the SU announcement. “His background as both an engineer and investor allows him to look far into the future, to see where technology and creativity can take the next generation of engineers and computer scientists. His generosity is literally helping us shape the future of our program as we address the challenges facing our globe.”

Ask Rusty: Can my Wife Claim her SS Now and Get Half my SS Benefit Later?

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

Dear Rusty: My wife will reach her full Social Security (SS) benefit at 66.5 years of age, which is just under two years away for her now. If she were to begin to get her monthly check now (i.e. early), would that prevent her from being eligible for the spousal benefit to receive half of

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Dear Rusty: My wife will reach her full Social Security (SS) benefit at 66.5 years of age, which is just under two years away for her now. If she were to begin to get her monthly check now (i.e. early), would that prevent her from being eligible for the spousal benefit to receive half of what I am currently drawing?

Signed: Curious Husband

Dear Curious: If your wife claims her own SS retirement benefit now (e.g., at 64.5 years), and you are already collecting your own SS benefit, then she will be automatically deemed to be filing for her spousal benefit immediately when she claims her own benefit (she does not have the option to defer claiming her spousal benefit until later). This is a change made by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, which requires all those first claiming SS to file for all benefits they are eligible for when they claim. What that would mean is that your wife’s benefit now, including her spousal boost from you, would be actuarially reduced by the number of months early she claimed. Her own SS retirement benefit would be permanently reduced by about 15 percent, and her “spousal boost” (the additional amount she would get as your spouse) would be reduced by about 19 percent, yielding a combined benefit that is roughly 42 percent of your full retirement age (FRA) SS benefit.

The only way your wife can get half (50 percent) of your FRA benefit entitlement is by waiting until her own FRA (66 years and 10 months) to claim. Note too that your wife’s spousal benefit will be based on your FRA entitlement, so if you claimed earlier or later than your own full retirement age, her spousal benefit will still be based on your FRA entitlement.

Also, your wife should be aware that anyone who claims early is subject to Social Security’s “earnings test,” which limits how much can be earned while collecting early benefits. Thus, if your wife is working, she will be restricted on how much she can earn before the Social Security Administration (SSA) takes away some of her benefits. FYI, the earnings limit changes annually, but for 2025 it is $23,420 and, if that is exceeded, the SSA will take away $1 in benefits for every $2 over the limit. And, FYI, the earnings limit goes up a lot during the year FRA is attained, and the earnings test no longer applies once full retirement age is reached.

I hope this answers your question, but if you have need additional information, please feel free to contact us directly at SSAdvisor@amacfoundation.org, or call us at (888) 750-2622.

Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4-million-member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained, and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.

Workforce development included in State of Ag address in Syracuse

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SYRACUSE — Increasing support for agricultural education and agricultural-workforce development, a stronger food system, and fighting climate change. New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball spoke about those topics as part of his State of Agriculture address on Jan. 9. His remarks were part of the 193rd New York State Agricultural Society Annual Forum held

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SYRACUSE — Increasing support for agricultural education and agricultural-workforce development, a stronger food system, and fighting climate change.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball spoke about those topics as part of his State of Agriculture address on Jan. 9. His remarks were part of the 193rd New York State Agricultural Society Annual Forum held at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter in Syracuse.

The event outlines the agricultural industry’s progress in 2024 in several key priority areas. The forum is traditionally the oldest and largest agricultural meeting of its kind in the state, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets said in its announcement. The theme of this year’s forum was “Trends, Tech, and Teachable Moments.”

New York’s top agriculture official reviewed the state’s efforts to provide increased support for agricultural education and agricultural-workforce development in 2024, and the desire to build on those efforts in 2025.

This year’s State of Agriculture address included a special presentation from New York agriculture’s young leaders across the state’s agricultural organizations and programs. They included 4-H; New York FFA; Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS); and the Ag Society Ambassador program, “highlighting the state’s commitment to strengthening agricultural education and workforce development,” the department noted.

Following the first-ever Youth in Agriculture Conference held in 2024, the state will launch a blue-ribbon panel to advance agriculture education in 2025 and continue its work to promote and support New York’s county fairs and the New York State Fair as agricultural education hubs.

“As we hit the ground running in the new year, I am optimistic about the future of agriculture in New York. With the help of our strong network of partners, and our history of innovation and change, New York’s agricultural industry will continue forward,” Ball said in the announcement. “I have seen real progress for our farmers despite the challenges they continue to face. After hearing today from young people who are venturing into agriculture with high hopes and passion for the industry, I feel more confident than ever that we are all in good hands. Let’s celebrate our wins today, even as we roll up our sleeves to do more.”

In keeping with this year’s forum theme, Ball also spoke about the challenge that New York farmers face on the global, national, and local fronts. He also highlighted the many opportunities the agricultural industry has before it, the department said.

Ball outlined the state’s work to boost the agricultural industry and strengthen the food system, combat climate change, and increase food access for all New Yorkers. These include updates on the state’s $34 million Dairy Modernization grant program; $21 million for a new Alternative Waste Management and Enhanced Precision Feed Program to further the mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions; the department’s Climate Resilient Farming Program; Gov. Hochul’s executive order 32 directing New York State agencies to increase the percentage of food they source from New York producers to 30 percent; The Beginning Farmer grant program; and the Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Farmer grant program, per the department’s announcement.

In his address, Ball spoke about the department’s continued work alongside its many partners to ensure a strengthened food-supply chain through several programs and initiatives, including Nourish New York, the Farmers’ Market Resiliency Grant Program; the Farm-to-School initiative; the 30% NYS Initiative; the $50 million Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program; the FreshConnect Program; the U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded New York Food for New York Families program.

“With some of the best food in the world available right in our own backyard, we are working to increase food security in our communities; develop a strong, local food supply chain right here at home; and ensure all New Yorkers know where their food comes from and can access the nutritious food they need,” Ball said. “Food insecurity should not be an inevitable consequence of geography or poverty; we need to see it as a solvable problem. An accurate measure of success for us needs to more than the number of bushels per acre or number of acres planted. We need to focus on how our success in agriculture translates into success in our rural communities and on connecting the dots between those of us who supply the food system and those of us who need access to it.”

PRSA CNY elects new chapter leaders, board members

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SYRACUSE — The Public Relations Society of America Central New York Chapter (PRSA CNY) announced it has elected two experienced area communications professionals as co-presidents of the chapter. Amy Doonan Cronin and Alice Maggiore will share the role of CNY chapter president for a two-year term, the local PRSA chapter said in a Jan. 13

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SYRACUSE — The Public Relations Society of America Central New York Chapter (PRSA CNY) announced it has elected two experienced area communications professionals as co-presidents of the chapter.

Amy Doonan Cronin and Alice Maggiore will share the role of CNY chapter president for a two-year term, the local PRSA chapter said in a Jan. 13 news release.

Cronin, who previously held the position of treasurer for the organization since 2021, is the executive director of the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium, a collaborative effort of six higher-education institutions in upstate New York. She previously worked at the University of Virginia, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and owned an independent consultancy. Cronin holds the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), an internationally recognized professional credential certified by PRSA.

Maggiore, who has served on the PRSA CNY Chapter board since 2020, is the director of public relations at Strategic Communications, LLC, a Syracuse–based public-relations agency. She’s held previous PR positions with the New York State Fair and the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. Maggiore is also president of the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association.

Cronin and Maggiore recently co-chaired the 2024 PRSA Northeast District Conference held in Syracuse, which drew more than 150 PR professionals from eight states. Together, they succeed Melissa Farmer Richards, founder of iMarketingMix, as PRSA CNY president. Richards will continue to serve PRSA as Northeast District chair for 2025.

The PRSA CNY Chapter also announced it has elected Jared Paventi as chapter secretary. Paventi, who has been on the board since 2021, is strategic-communications manager at National Grid.

The chapter board also elected the following four individuals to their first two-year terms on the chapter board:

• Ana Villareal DuFlo, independent communications consultant

• Catherine Manion, assistant VP and public relations and social-media manager at NBT Bank

• Brooke Schneider, senior public information officer, City of Syracuse

• Kathleen White, marketing and public relations manager at Loretto

The Central New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is a volunteer-led trade association representing marketing-communications professionals in the Greater Syracuse and Mohawk Valley regions.

CXtec names new CEO following Belyea retirement

Technology, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, New York News, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — CXtec has named a new CEO following the retirement of Peter Belyea, who had been with the company for more than 35 years and served as CEO from 2016-2024. The company has announced the appointment of Todd Zegers as the firm’s top official. Zegers, who joins CXtec with more than two decades

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Albany NanoTech signs $825M deal for national semiconductor technology center involving chip research

Technology, Construction, Design & Real Estate, Education & Training, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Featured, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Manufacturing & Engineering, New York News, Nonprofits

ALBANY, N.Y. — NY CREATES, Natcast, and the U.S. Department of Commerce have reached the final agreement to make Albany NanoTech the first flagship facility

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