In an op-ed called "," the Daily News's Errol Louis says that the idea that "federal, state, and local governments all need to cut spending" is a "dangerous myth." Louis quotes economist James Galbraith in saying that state spending cuts, sp Read More
This chart from the state comptroller's newly released answers the question in a nutshell: Read More
New York's deepening fiscal crisis should refocus public attention on the need to reform the city's unsustainably costly package of generous retirement benefits for municipal workers. Read More
Mayor Bloomberg said in 2003 that "if New York City is a business, it isn't Wal-Mart. It isn't trying to be the lowest-priced product in the market. It's a high-end product, maybe even a luxury product." If so, then the don't bode well for consu Read More
Public school finance will be one of the most hotly contested battlegrounds in New York's coming state budget war. From last June's of the Governor's (aka the Suozzi Commission), here is a reminder of one key factor driving up local school costs: Read More
In today's Times on the reaction of municipal labor unions to possible budget-cutting strategies, UFT President Randi Weingarten argues against any reform of generous pension benefits for municipal employees: “Here we have a s Read More
, the Manhattan Institute's seven-year-old website focusing on New York budget and finance issues, has been updated and expanded into a blog featuring daily commentary by two of the Institute's leading analysts—E.J. McMahon and Nicole Gelinas. McMa Read More
As a postscript to Nicole’s most recent post, which focused on New York City, it should be noted that New York’s state government doesn't immediately face a California-style cash crunch, either. The state stopped issuing short-term notes Read More