JSA2026 Commonwealth Budget: Volume XIV

Administrative Waste and the Cost of Bureaucracy – A Top-to-Bottom Audit Proposal

Jason S. Arnold for Governor of New York
Published: May 12, 2025
Contact: jaysarnold@icloud.com | (516) 586-0660 | https://jsa2026.com/

Introduction

Volume XIV confronts the hidden machinery behind New York’s spending crisis: the unchecked sprawl of state-level bureaucracy. From duplicative middle management to vacant offices still drawing full rent, administrative waste is the invisible tax crushing our progress.

This volume proposes the first full-spectrum audit of all non-essential personnel, leases, and overhead costs across every state agency. We believe accountability starts with trimming the fat—not the frontline.

Audit Categories

Each category includes:

• Estimated Annual Cost (FY2026)
• Core Issues
• Reform Notes
• Recommendation

1. Office Leases & Underutilized Space

Estimated Cost: $1.4 Billion

• Empty or hybrid-work offices still at full lease cost
• Unused satellite buildings outside NYC, Albany

Reform Notes: Leases signed under pre-COVID usage assumptions remain active.

Recommendation: Cancel or renegotiate all underused leases. Consolidate state departments into owned properties where possible.

2. Managerial and Mid-Level Overhead

Estimated Cost: $2.6 Billion

• Redundant leadership titles and conflicting chain-of-command
• Lack of performance reviews for upper management

Reform Notes: Bureaucracy defends itself by creating more bureaucracy.

Recommendation: Implement zero-based HR audits every 4 years. Merge overlapping units. Tie management retention to output metrics.

3. Contracted Administrative Services

Estimated Cost: $1.9 Billion

• External firms doing work already staffed internally
• No-bid renewals for consulting and software firms

Reform Notes: Hidden handouts under the guise of “expertise.”

Recommendation: Require bid competition for any contract over $250K. Publicly list all state contracts and firm names online.

4. Government-Funded NGOs & Foundations

Estimated Cost: $3.2 Billion

• Political favoritism in funding awards
• Duplication of government services with no performance tracking

Reform Notes: Outsourcing ideology instead of services.

Recommendation: Cap NGO awards at $10M unless proven essential. Mandate annual independent impact audits for continued funding.

5. State Agency Media, PR & Marketing Budgets

Estimated Cost: $950 Million

• Agencies spending millions to promote themselves, not services
• Social media teams, ad buys, vanity campaigns

Reform Notes: Government should inform, not advertise.

Recommendation: Suspend all non-mandatory PR and marketing for 2 years. Shift communication to consolidated public info hub.

Closing Statement

Administrative waste is not just inefficient—it’s immoral when working families pay the price. Every dollar that props up a bloated structure is a dollar stolen from teachers, nurses, and public safety.

Volume XIV lays the foundation for a leaner, smarter government—one that earns trust by respecting your paycheck.

Jason S. Arnold
Candidate for Governor, New York
https://jsa2026.com/
(516) 586-0660 | jaysarnold@icloud.com
#JSA2026 #CommonwealthBudget #FixNewYork #TheRightOne #AuditNY #EndTheWaste