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Classic cartoon characters have an entertaining knack for suspending the basic laws of physics--for example, when Wile E. Coyote propels himself in pursuit of the Road Runner through the use of a sail "pushed" by a fan strapped to his back.  So perh Read More

In his annual report to the state's Financial Control Board yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg offered this intriguing fact: "the labor force is growing faster in New York City than elsewhere in the country. Our growth - at 1.6 percent - is nearly twice that Read More

Five months ago, Brooklyn/Queens Rep. Anthony Weiner how hard he had fought to include $1 billion in money for the nation's police officers in the $787 billion federal stimulus package. Now it turns out that President Obama is leaving New York out o Read More

In remarks accompanying his annual city budget report, Comptroller (and mayoral candidate) Bill Thompson said that the city's tax revenues have "evaporated." After a 37 percent decline in personal-income tax revenues over two years, these revenues w Read More

New York led the nation in K-12 education spending per pupil in 2006-07, according to .  The Empire State's school spending of $15,981 per pupil was 65 percent above the national average of $9,666.  New York's total school spending of nearly $51 bi Read More

The question is posed by Money graf: The National Institutes of Health, the country's top research agency, is awarding recovery money to projects proposed long before the recession. With $8 billion extra dollars to spend on research, ag Read More

The first quarter update to New York State's 2009-10 financial plan will be released by the Governor's sometime this week.   The plan is expected to reflect the potential for a significant deficit this year, and worsening budget shortfalls in the Read More

Earlier this week, Streetsblog had of a House bill that would allow regional transit agencies such as New York's MTA to spend up to 30 percent of their federal grants on operating costs. Under current law, federal money goes toward capital investm Read More

New York scores a mediocre number 36 on Based on 40 measures of competitiveness grouped into 10 categories, the Empire State ranked dead last in "Cost of Business" and "Workforce," the latter apparently weighted heavily by New York's high unionizatio Read More

From of New York City's 2010 Financial Plan, a chart of actual spending growth from 2001 through 2008, and projected growth through 2013. Read More

In a debate yesterday, Brooklyn City Councilman David Yassky was the only one of four candidates for city comptroller to say that Albany should consider legislating a less generous pension tier for public-sector workers even without union support of Read More

Between fiscal years 2002 and 2007, New York City's tax revenues increased by 74 percent, to $37.8 billion (really, see ).* A new by Washington's Government Accountability Office (GAO) helps show why. Read More