Squirreled away in the new state budget is a provision—first proposed by Governor Andrew Cuomo—that will guarantee future periodic pay raises for the governor, New York State legislators and other state government officials. But is it constitutional? Read More
PART E Section 1. Chapter 567 of the laws of 2010 relating to establishing a special commission on compensation, and providing for their powers and duties; and to provide periodic salary increases to state officers is REPEALED. S 2. 1. On the f Read More
New Yorkers who haven't yet filed their 2014 tax returns are about to be reminded that the Empire State's income tax form is more cluttered than ever -- thanks, in part, to a proliferation of voluntary contribution "check-off" boxes. Since the establishment of the "Return a Gift to Wildlife" fund in 1982, the list of check-offs has expand to 10 causes, including cancer research, veterans remembrance and the development of the 9/11 memorial. As if that wasn't enough, some mental health groups want lawmakers to approve an eleventh checkoff, this one to be known as "Gift for Eliminating the Stigma Relating to Mental Illness." Read More
Albany's biggest, juiciest capital pork pie — the mysterious State and Municipal Facilities Program — just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Read More
The proposed Capital Projects () for the 2018 state fiscal year appropriates a total of $1.64 billion for the , including a new appropriation of $385 million and a re-appropriation of $1.25 billion. Throughout the existence of the program, creat Read More
In many respects, New York City looks economically and fiscally as strong as it’s ever been. But it’s still worth recalling that, 40 years ago this week, things were very different. Read More
New York’s $142 billion budget, enacted on April 1, authorizes the state to spend $4,503 per second during its 2015-16 fiscal year, according to the Empire Center’s updated Spend-O-Meter. Read More
It’s fitting that New York’s fiscal year starts April 1, since the annual state budget so often has elements that sound like a bad joke. Read More