The latest federal data show New York's public school system has the highest per-pupil spending of any state; New York City has the highest per-pupil spending among the nation’s 50 largest school districts; and New York teachers have the highest average pay while pupil-teacher ratio is among the lowest. Read More
New York state energy officials are taking the exceptional step of hiring a public relations outfit, using $500,000 per year of public money, to "maintain a positive narrative" and “respond to negative viewpoints” about the state’s 2019 climate law. Read More
The headlong, secretive process around implementing New York's 2019 Climate Act – inherited from a governor who resigned in disgrace – runs the risk of saddling New Yorkers with both a less reliable electrical grid and rules across the entire economy that impose enormous expense. Read More
The 2023 edition of What They Make, the Empire Center’s annual report on public payrolls, allows New York taxpayers to compare this key element of local government costs around the state. Read More
New York in 2022 imposed the largest unfunded mandate on schools in a generation, requiring them to replace their buses with electric models. New price data indicate the cost is still rising. Read More
Enrollment in New York public schools this year sank to the lowest level since the early 1950s, according to preliminary state Education Department (NYSED) data. Read More
New York’s “cap and invest” program (NYCI), a central part of the state’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, appears designed to hold back much of the program’s sticker-shock until January 2027—after the 2026 election. Read More
The decline in union membership observed nationally appears to be occurring in New York as well. Read More