From my presentation at yesterday's Manhattan Institute "Market Meltdown" conference, a chart depicting the 10-year trend in public pension fund contributions by New York State and City taxpayers: Pension contributions over the past eight years ha Read More
After wavering on the issue in recent weeks, Governor Paterson today seemed to rule out tax increases as part of the solution to the state's growing budget problem -- at least for the next 18 months. "I don't think there should be any taxes at thi Read More
As shown below, the highest-earning 1 percent of taxpayers (those with incomes above $750,000 or so as of 2007) accounted for nearly 40 percent of New York's total state income tax liability last year -- up from around 27 percent in the mid-1990s. � Read More
The seemingly slapdash nature of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed $2 billion education bond was reinforced during Tuesday's budget address when the gambit got a makeover. Read More
A new state Senate Majority report on burdensome state regulations provides more backup for the Empire Center’s recent call to reform New York’s environmental planning review process. Read More
Newly released Census estimates show New York is still the nation’s third most populous state, barely ahead of Florida. Read More
Reportedly, the terms of a tentative agreement between the teachers' union and board of education in Westchester's Bedford Central School District would do away with step increases for newly hired teachers. Read More
Oneida County employees participating in a proposed cash buyout program would have a strong incentive to get their co-workers to join them: their payments will increase if more employees participate. Read More