On Aug. 3, the state Senate passed a bill containing nearly $800 million in tax hikes and other provisions that represent the final piece of the budget for the fiscal year that began April. Passage of the 2010-11 appropriation bills was completed by the Legislature June 28--after which Gov David Paterson vetoedthousands of line items, mainly legislative pork-barrel “member item” spending. Read More
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Promoting better transparency and accountability in government is one of the Empire Center’s major, ongoing priorities. Read More
When the city of Troy asked its Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) employees to consider forgoing a 3.5 percent raise this year, a CSEA spokesperson said, "...we do not renegotiate our contracts. It's a moot point," ... Read More
New York's public-sector employees have been promised $205 billion in post-retirement health benefits that the state and its local governments have set aside no money to pay for, a new Empire Center report found. Read More
Two cities in heavily taxed Niagara County have agreed to share the burden of providing water services. But the deal first needed to get around objections from a municipal labor union. Read More
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