What does 2016 have in store for New York State?
Much of our attention will no doubt be focused on the same general issues that preoccupied us in 2015 — issues such as the economy, taxes, government wages and pensions, population shifts and pork barrel spending.
And so, with best wishes to all for a Happy New Year, here’s a last look back at the Empire Center’s web traffic highlights for the year just ended — including updates to our popular government transparency website, SeeThroughNY.net.
The 5 most popular EmpireCenter.org pages in 2015:
- Higher Pay, Fewer Jobs – Video features and articles explaining what’s at stake for New York in the proposal to jack up the statewide minimum wage to $15 an hour.
- The Empire Center’s Pension Calculator – We’ve made it simple to estimate the retirement income for a state and local government worker and to see what it would cost a private-sector worker to buy an equivalent annuity in the open market.
- New Yorkers Keep Heading for Exits – People are the Empire State’s leading, priceless export.
- Albany’s Secretive Slush Fund – Our NYTorch.com blog post that blew the whistle on the evolution of the $1.1 billion State and Municipal Facilities Program.
- What They Make—2015 Edition – The Empire Center’s unique annual compendium of average pay for every county, city, town and village government in New York State.
The 5 most popular SeeThroughNY releases in 2015:
About the Author
You may also like
One Brooklyn Health’s Money Troubles Raise a Billion-Dollar Question
A brewing fiscal crisis at One Brooklyn Health, which has received more than $1 billion in turnaround funding from the state, raises the question of whether that money has been well spent.
Read More
Another battery flop zaps NY taxpayers
Plans to lure a Canadian battery company to the Hudson Valley with a slew of government incentives, including job-creation tax credits, loans, and federal subsidies, appear to be a dud. It’s a reminder that when it comes to picking winners in the energy-storage space, taxpayers are often losers. Read More
Hochul Signals Tough Budget Ahead
Governor Hochul’s administration this week urged agency heads to keep their budgets flat next year. It's the most serious acknowledgement yet of state government’s looming financial shortfall. Read More
NYSERDA’s Roadmap to Nowhere
New York school districts face a multi-billion dollar unfunded mandate to convert to electric school buses. While the transition will cost between $8 and $15 billion above the cost of buying traditional buses, less than $1 billion in state and federal aid is likely to be available to help schools cover the cost. Read More
Back to School: New York Style
Class is in session across the state, and things are messy (especially in New York City).
Read More
Federal Staffing Rule Would Compound Hiring Pressure for New York Nursing Homes
Nursing homes that are struggling – and mostly failing – to comply with the state's two-year-old minimum staffing law would face even stiffer hiring challenges under newly proposed federal standards.
Read More
$5.5 Billion NYCERS Pension Payments Include $70 Million in Back Pay
The pension plan covering most New York city government agencies, including the City’s subway system, had 47 members with pension payments of at least $200,00 last year, 11 more than in 2021, according to Read More
New Wind Energy Costs Blow the Doors Off Projections
The myth that New York can replace fossil fuel power plants with cheap renewable energy has begun to crumble under renewable developers’ demands for higher prices to offset inflation and supply chain challenges. Read More
Enjoying our work? Sign up for email alerts on our latest news and research.