The Empire Center for New York State Policy, a project of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, is dedicated to promoting freedom, opportunity and enterprise in the Empire State. Through research papers, policy briefings, commentaries and conferences, the Empire Center seeks  to educate and inform New York State policymakers, news media and the general public.

Since its inception in January 2005, the Empire Center's areas of focus have included the economy, taxes and spending, public employment issues including pension reform and the impact of the Taylor Law, energy policy, health care and education.    The Center's offices are at 48 Columbia Street in Albany, just blocks from the state Capitol.

The Manhattan Institute was founded in 1978 to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice and individual responsibility. Gaining a reputation for "turning intellect into influence," the Institute has supported and publicized research on a wide range of public policy issues, including taxes, welfare, crime, the legal system, urban life, race, education, and many other topics.

STAFF

The director of the Empire Center is Edmund J. McMahon, the Manhattan Institute's senior fellow for tax and budgetary studies.

Since joining the Manhattan Institute in 2000, Mr. McMahon has studied the tax and spending policies of New York City and New York State and issues recommendations on how these policies can be reformed to increase economic growth. His recent work has included studies focused on state budget reform, public pensions, public-sector collective bargaining, the impact of federal tax changes proposed by the 2008 presidential candidates, and the state and local fiscal impact of the financial market meltdown.  He has testified frequently before the New York State Legislature, and his articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, the Public Interest, The New York Times, the New York Post, the New York Daily News, Newsday and the New York Sun, among other publications.

McMahon's professional background includes more than 25 years as a senior policy maker and analyst of New York government. He has served as Deputy Commissioner for Tax Policy Analysis and Counselor to the Commissioner in the state Department of Taxation and Finance; Director of Minority Staff for the state Assembly Ways and Means Committee; vice chancellor for external relations at the State University of New York; and Director of Research for The Business Council's research arm, the Public Policy Institute. Earlier in his career, he was a reporter and columnist for the Albany Times Union, The Knickerbocker News and the White Plains Reporter Dispatch. A New York native, Mr. McMahon is a graduate of Villanova University.

Lise Bang-Jensen senior policy analyst and communications director, joined the Empire Center in 2008 after nearly 20 years as co-host of public television's "Inside Albany" program.  Prior to her career in public television, she was a State Capitol reporter for the Albany Knickerbocker News.  A native of Washington, D.C., she was raised in suburban New York.  She is a graduate of Skidmore College and earned a master's degree in communication arts at Cornell University.

Ms. Bang-Jensen's research focuses on issues relating to cost and quality of public services in New York, and on improving government transparency and accountability.

Tim Hoefer is the Empire Center's operations director.  Hoefer's previous employment includes communication and public affairs work with the New York State Senate and Assembly.  He also has worked in political campaigns at the local, state and federal level.  Born and raised in New York, Hoefer is a graduate of George Mason University and earned his master's degree in public policy from New England College.

Missy Millett is office manager of the Empire Center, overseeing event planning and administrative support for the Center's Albany-based activities.  Before joining the Empire Center in 2008, Ms. Millett spent more than 30 years at The Business Council of New York State as the administrative assistant for that organization's Chamber Alliance and Public Policy Institute.  She is a native of Albany.