Pay raises for teachers in eight Long Island school districts are growing at a slower rate than in the past, but still exceed percentage increases granted to private sector employees. Meanwhile, teachers in at least 18 Long Island districts are wo Read More
DESPITE the improving national and regional economy, New York City's budget remains stuck in a hole. With operating expenses momentarily in check, the city's continuing fiscal imbalance stems mainly from big projected increases in the cost of Medicaid, debt service, employee health benefits - and, seemingly out of nowhere, pension contributions. Read More
No reason to keep tentative contracts with public employee unions secret.. Read More
The increase in the New York City sales tax that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg proposed on Friday may tack no more than a quarter onto a $100 dinner tab. But it is just the latest addition to a long list of proposed tax, fee and transit fare increases t Read More
Gov. David A. Paterson has recently proposed to tax iPod song downloads, in an attempt to close a $15.4 billion budget gap. The download tax would make New York the 21st state (including Washington, D.C.) to tax music downloads. Just how many song Read More
Albany, New York – The group that coined the phrase "Dysfunctional Albany" has begun the New Year with a report that finds state government still sorely in need of reform. But NYU's Brennan Center says that there's hope that in the Senate, at least Read More
The names, titles and base salaries of 427,759 New York City government employees are now posted on the web at SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center for Public Policy announced today. Read More
Being the the speaker of the City Council’s right hand man can pay off, literally. Her chief of staff, Charles Meara, is the council’s top earner, according to payroll figures released today by the Manhattan Institute. His salary of $194,132 b Read More