New York’s latest stab at pension reform, which created a new “tier” of slightly reduced benefits, was an enormous missed opportunity. While the plan shaved away a few of the most costly sweeteners added to pension benefits since the early 1990s, it preserved the basic defined benefit plan structure. This is the core of the problem: a huge and growing financial risk for current and future taxpayers. Read More
The Senate passed financial industry "reform" yesterday. But one important amendment failed earlier this week: New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg's proposal to prohibit federal bailouts of state and local governments. The Judd amendment... Read More
Voters in New York’s suburban, rural and smaller city school dis tricts approved 92 percent of proposed school budgets on Tuesday, according to preliminary results. This was above the 40-year average approval rate of 83 percent -- and it was in sha Read More
Just because they can’t seem to agree on a state budget, don’t assume that New York lawmakers aren’t finding other ways to threaten the state’s economic future. Read More
Voters in New York's suburban, rural and smaller city school districts approved 92 percent of proposed school budgets yesterday, according to the New York State School Boards Association. This is above the historical average approval rate of 83 percent... Read More
Layoffs of up to 10,000 state employees are "on the radar screen," according to the New York Post. Citing an unnamed Paterson administration official, the Post reports Governor Paterson has been told the "no layoffs" memorandum signed... Read More
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a one-day furlough of state workers until he can hear arguments in two weeks. In doing so, however, he also referred to a pay freeze upheld in Buffalo. U.S. District Judge Lawrence Kahn also ruled... Read More
Updated school labor contracts for 71 teacher unions and 62 school superintendents were posted today on www.SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center’s government transparency website. Read More