From a statewide perspective, New York’s economic performance since the end of the Great Recession hasn’t been especially outstanding, roughly equaling the U.S. averages for growth in private employment and GDP, while slightly trailing the national rate of increase in personal income since early 2009. But a closer look at the numbers reveals a tale of two New Yorks. Read More
A dispute over the construction contract for a stretch of proposed state-funded public walking and biking trail in Central New York shows how far Governor Andrew Cuomo will go to steer state contracts to construction unions—and how much that’s costing taxpayers. Read More
In 2020, the biggest headache facing Albany will be Medicaid, the state-run health plan that covers more than 6 million lower-income and disabled New Yorkers. As revealed last month, Medicaid is running 16 percent over budget—opening a $4 billion deficit in the state’s current financial plan and contributing disproportionately to a $6.1 billion gap for the fiscal year that begins April 1. Read More
Capping a week in which Governor Cuomo touted his "successful economic agenda," newly released federal estimates show New York's economy barely grew at all during the third quarter of 2019, ranking near the bottom of a 50-state list. Read More
The Empire Center today kicked off DeregulateNY, a web-based contest inviting users to identify the worst government-imposed obstacle to doing business in New York. Contestants submit entries online and compete to win a cash prize and a trip to Albany. Read More
In his one 'State of the State' reference to Medicaid's overspending crisis, Cuomo pointed the blame at local governments—and implied that he will hit them up for a bailout. That's a fundamentally wrongheaded approach. The only real solution is to control costs, not shift them to local taxpayers. Read More
In the coming skirmish over how to close a multi-billion-dollar deficit in the Medicaid program, New Yorkers can expect a lot of misleading claims and half-truths from the health-care industry. A case in point is a Jan. 6 letter signed by 23 provider groups – representing hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, physicians and more – which calls for Governor Cuomo to reverse the 1 percent cut to most Medicaid fees that his administration announced on New Year's Eve. Read More
The cash flow of New York’s Medicaid program has become increasingly volatile in recent years, a byproduct of questionable fiscal maneuvers that spawned the current $4 billion deficit. Read More