The U.K.'s Labour Party surprised the world and maybe itself by taking a tough line on City bank bonuses on Wednesday, according to the press, announcing a 50 percent surtax on banks' bonus payrolls through next April. The tax, which the banks the Read More
The price tag for the Legislature's promise of an early retirement incentive for teachers isn't publicly known, but a similar bill would cost school districts $200 million in added pension payments next year. Read More
The state bailed out the MTA with a $1.5 billion payroll tax earlier this year. But it turns out revenues from the payroll tax will come in $200 million less than expected. If only the state and the MTA had had someone back then to tell them that th Read More
Pay raises for teachers in eight Long Island school districts are growing at a slower rate than in the past, but still exceed percentage increases granted to private sector employees. Meanwhile, teachers in at least 18 Long Island districts are wo Read More
The health care bill now moving through Congress could heap significant added costs on New York State. But the Heritage Foundation is offering on how New York could turn the tables on the feds and save at least $47 billion on Medicaid over a six-y Read More
Did Governor David Paterson forget why he vetoed a bill that virtually locks in health benefits for retired state and local government employees? Or does he believe retired teachers are more deserving? The Tier 5 bill, , goes beyond creating a ne Read More
New York City's independent budget office (IBO) that Gotham will take in $1.3 billion more than the mayor is projecting over the rest of this fiscal year and next. The extra cash will alleviate some pressure on the city's projected (itself already Read More
The Senate today also passed the so-called previously approved by the Assembly and backed by Governor Paterson--complete with a form of super card-check for unions seeking to organize authority-sponsored hotel and convention center development projec Read More
Buried in is an incredible set of special concessions to unionized school teachers in New York. None of these changes were contained in Governor Paterson's original "pension reform" proposal, . The worst of the giveaways to teachers in the final Read More
Moody's has come out with its rating of $500 million worth of senior revenue bonds for the $1.06 billion arena portion of the $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn. The rating for the arena, called the Barclays Center, is Baa3, the lowest Read More
What does a tiny Arab emirate have in common with the NBA's worst team, which currently plays in New Jersey? And why should the answer matter to a taxpayer in Buffalo or Syracuse? Nicole in today's New York Post. Read More
Is Governor David Paterson ready to consider a wage freeze? Based on what he told reporters Sunday, the answer may be yes. The governor was asked to comment on the idea as presented in an op-ed by John Faso, the 2006 gubernatorial candi Read More