1984 BUDGET REQUEST The 1984 budget request must be analyzed in the context of reduced 1982 and 1983 budgets. - reduced the use of temporary personnel by $731,000 or 56%; - reduced office space by 18,000 sq. ft. for savings of $238,000; - reduced travel by $338,000 or 79%; - reduced expenditures in other rents/commnications/utilities by $379,000 or 19%; - reduced printing costs by $370,000 or 22%; - reduced expenditures for other services by $737,000 or 23%; - reduced expenditures for supplies and equipment by $444,000 or 44%. In addition, we had selective hiring freezes and restrictions on the use of overtime. Since our existing FY-1983 appropriation level is one-half million dollars less than our FY-1982 level, we have continued to operate under these constraints. Our FY-1984 budget is seeking to restore funding for items we deem necessary to carry out our mission. However, the increases we are requesting would still leave us operating, in real 5 terms, 8% below the 1980 levels. 1983 PAY SUPPLEMENTAL REQUEST The 1983 pay raise supplemental of $1,318,000 is requested to cover the costs of three actions: the general schedule pay increase that went into effect on October 3, 1982; the executive level pay raise that went into effect on December 18, 1982; and the new 1.3% Medicare tax. This represents an essential supplement to the 1983 regular appropriation. RISING WORKLOAD In the past six years, while OMB permanent employment continued to decline, most workload measures have steadily increased, as shown by the table on the next page. An average budget examiner in 1984 will be responsible for the oversight of approximately $4.6 billion in Federal outlays. 1984 BUDGET REQUEST OMB's 1984 budget request of $39,643,000 is in real terms, almost identical to our 1981 funding level. It represents an increase of $4,656,000 from the requested 1983 funding level of $34,987,000. Our 1984 request includes funding for the Federal Program Information Branch. However, we are currently seeking legislation to transfer these functions to the General Services Administration (GSA). If such legislation is enacted, our funding level will be reduced accordingly. Of the $4,656,000 increase, approximately 63% or $2,913,000 is for uncontrollable items such as; the GSA-mandated increase for office space rental charges (up 125%); annualization of the 1983 executive pay increase, the 1.3% Medicare Tax: and normal within grade increases tha are mandated by law. The remaining portion of the increase is requested to: -fill ten positions that have remained vacant for the past year; -provide additional funds for staff travel, training, printing, computer services, and equipment; offset inflationary increases in current operational expenses. These additional resources are needed to maintain OMB's ability to serve the Presiden effectively and efficiently in view of increasing workload demands. |