Tim Hoefer

President & CEO

Tim Hoefer is president and CEO of the Empire Center for Public Policy. He joined the Center in March 2008, and previously served as the Center’s director of operations and communications manager.

Hoefer’s work focuses on transparency, government reform and accountability. He has written several papers on those subjects, testified before local and statewide panels and authored various op-eds. His numerous interviews have been featured in print, radio and broadcast media throughout the state. Since its launch in July 2008, Hoefer has been the principal on the Center’s government transparency project, SeeThroughNY.net.

Before joining the Center, Hoefer worked in communications and public affairs with the New York State Senate and Assembly. He also has worked as a consultant for, and on, political campaigns, at the local, state and federal level.

Born and raised in Saratoga, he is a native New Yorker. Hoefer has a bachelor’s degree in government & politics from George Mason University and earned his master’s degree in public policy from New England College.

Latest Work

New York doesn't look so hot in the just-released 2011 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) report cards in and , designed to show "what America's students know and can do in various subject areas." Generally, the trending shows impr Read More

Some leaders of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) union received double-digit raises -- despite a faltering economy, the Albany Times Union .  But at least these union bosses aren't paid with taxpayer money... Oh, wait, union pr Read More

New York City public advocate Bill de Blasio thinks they are, at least to some extent. The advocate's office announced yesterday that it was into the amount of time it takes NYC agencies to answer Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests. At th Read More

The has just released a new index that takes a comprehensive approach to measuring just how powerful government unions are in each of the 50 states. Which state had the lowest ranking, denoting the most powerful Read More

On Wednesday, in an apparent move to appease open government advocates and curious taxpayers, City Comptroller John Liu announced that the New York City Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS) Board of Trustees had adopted three resolutions that would “provide the public with unprecedented access to information concerning the pension system.” Read More

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