In response to Governor Hochul’s State of the State address and policy book, Empire Center experts issued the following reactions: On taxes: "Governor Hochul's promise to hold the line against tax hikes is crucial to restorin Read More
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January 2026 Summary and Insights Electricity. In October 2025, average residential electricity price in New York was 26.95 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and ranked 8th highest in the U.S., exceeding the national Read More
For a third time the state Health Department has postponed releasing records related to a disputed $1 billion Medicaid contract, saying it needs another six weeks or more to locate and redact the materials in question. Read More
In the effort to improve transparency and accountability of New York’s education system, the Empire Center ha Read More
Ninety employees from New York’s school districts (outside New York City) received more than $300,000 during fiscal year 2025, according to , the Empire Center’s transparency website. The public educator pay data are based on salary informatio Read More
This fall, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law bills containing the state’s permission for three cities — Mount Vernon, Schenectady and White Plains — to test camera enforcement for school speed zones. Read More
Pension payments to during fiscal year 2025 were added today to the Empire Center’s transparency website. The data primarily cover school support staff and administrative personnel. The BERS paid a total of $351 million in pension paym Read More
Governor Kathy Hochul made news this fall when she used her legislative veto power in a way that looked personal. That’s how Albany watchers and the target, Senator James Skoufis, Read More