Government transparency is the key to holding elected officials and agencies accountable to taxpayers. For this reason, the Empire Center annually files hundreds of Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests and posts the results publicly on its SeeThroughNY.net database. Over the years, numerous agencies have obstructed access to public records, unnecessarily redacting information or simply ignoring FOIL requests.
This new timeline traces five of the legal battles the Empire Center has fought since 2009 against public agencies that refuse to allow taxpayers to see where their money is going.
Click here to view the full timeline.
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Educator Pay 2026: North Country
Six school district educators in the North Country were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). The highest paid was Indian River CSD Superintendent Troy Decker, at $240,614. Read More
Educator Pay 2026: Southern Tier
A total of 21 school district educators in the Southern Tier were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). The highest paid was Ithaca City SD Superintendent Luvelle Brown, at $292,442. Read More
Educator Pay 2026: Finger Lakes
A total of 52 school district educators in the Finger Lakes region were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). The highest paid was John Abbott, deputy superintendent of East Irondequoit CSD, at $306,144. Read More
Educator Pay 2026: Mohawk Valley
A total of 17 school district educators in the Mohawk Valley were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). The highest paid was Utica City SD Superintendent Christopher Spence, at $281,875. Read More
Educator Pay 2026: Central New York
A total of 36 school district educators in Central New York were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). The highest paid was East Syracuse Minoa CSD Superintendent Donna Desiato, at $310,881. Read More
Educator Pay 2026: Capital Region
A total of 38 school district educators in the Capital Region were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). The highest paid was South Colonie CSD Superintendent David Perry, at $300,918. Read More
Educator Pay 2026: Western New York
A total of 45 school district educators in Western New York were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). The highest paid was Sean Croft, former superintendent of Starpoint CSD, at $315,619. Read More
Educator Pay 2026: Mid-Hudson
A total of 752 school district educators in the Mid-Hudson region were paid more than $200,000 in fiscal year 2025-26, according to payroll data reported to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS). Of those, 34 were paid more than $300,000. The highest paid was Northeast CSD Superintendent Raymond Castellani, at $389,357. Read More