Imagine that the government, instead of distributing food stamps, wrote checks to grocery stores to reimburse them for giving stuff away. Now imagine that the government gave lots of that money to Zabar’s and Whole Foods while stiffing the bodegas and supermarkets where poor people actually shop. Such a system would be considered a travesty. Yet that, believe it or not, is how the state of New York finances health care for the uninsured. Read More
A close look at Cuomo’s plan to contain prescription drug costs – which relies on heavy-handed price controls – raises doubts as to its fairness, effectiveness, workability, and even legality. Read More
Taxpayers beware: the annual push to water down New York’s property tax cap is underway in the state Legislature. Read More
The names, titles and salaries of all 283,117 individuals who worked for New York’s state government in 2016 have now been posted as a searchable database at SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center’s transparency website. Read More
The checklist's reforms would reduce the state’s cost burdens and improve its climate for growth. Read More
The Empire Center today released “Checklist for Change,” a 36-page summary of reforms needed to promote renewed economic growth and competitiveness for New York State. Read More
The city of New York has been ordered to pay the legal costs and fees to the Empire Center for Public Policy in connection with the Center’s successful effort to obtain city payroll data under the state Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). Read More
When it comes to soaking the rich to pad the state budget, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie won't be outdone by Governor Andrew Cuomo's "millionaire tax." Read More