Let me begin by reminding everyone that the 2009-10 state budget included tax and fee increases that were initially valued at $6.1 billion, or 7.4 percent of total state fund revenues. This was the largest tax and fee increase in New York State’s history. Read More
The current Alaska Department of Labor forecast predicts only two local job sectors will grow this year: health care and government. Jobs in state and federal government agencies are expected to increase; jobs in oil and gas are projected to decrease Read More
New Yorkers don't get what they pay for when it comes to government employees. The issue recently sprang to life on Long Island: In Nassau, one of the first acts of the new Republican majority was to jack up salaries for legislative leaders more t Read More
In New York and New Jersey Governor's Paterson and Christie have highlighted the tremendous pressure pensions and public employee contracts put on the state budget. Robert Master, Northeast legislative and political director for the Communications Wo Read More
Advocates of the misnamed “millionaire’s tax” enacted in New York State last year claimed that it would restore “fairness” to a tax code that favored the rich. Read More
The United Federation of Teachers could reap a multimillion-dollar windfall if lawmakers approve a little-noticed provision in Gov. Paterson's budget that would force day-care workers to pay union dues. The proposal, buried deep within the governo Read More
"New York state is essentially broke, it's running on empty," says E.J. McMahon, from the conservative Albany think tank the Empire Center. www.empirecenter.org/ If you go to its website, you'll see a running tally of how much New York has spent s Read More
Gov. David Paterson's proposal to delay state income tax refund checks was called a travesty Wednesday by state lawmakers and Mohawk Valley residents. To a state watchdog group, however, it is a clear signal of the extent of the state's fiscal dis Read More