Category: Media Coverage

Fiscal watchdogs worry the state is papering over its fiscal woes and turning to old Albany standards, such as delaying payments owed to entities that provide services on behalf of the state. Read More

But critics like McMahon argue tying up millions in state funding in order to serve a few municipalities does little to benefit the state as a whole. The money, he said, would be better used addressing regional infrastructure concerns that will make larger swaths of the state more appealing, ultimately leading to greater outside economic investment. Read More

According to a recent report by the Empire Center for New York State Policy, the city’s $51.66 effective property tax rate ranks ninth in western New York behind Cheektowaga in Erie County and the Allegany County municipalities of Wellsville, Andover, Alfred, Almond, Burns, Cuba, and Alma. Jamestown’s effective tax rate is the highest in Chautauqua County. Read More

"New Yorkers pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation," according to the report from the Empire Center, a fiscally conservative think tank in New York. Read More

According to a recent report by the Empire Center for New York State Policy, the city’s $51.66 effective property tax rate ranks ninth in Western New York behind Cheektowaga in Erie County and the Allegany County municipalities of Wellsville, Andover, Alfred, Almond, Burns, Cuba and Alma. Jamestown’s effective tax rate is the highest in Chautauqua County. Read More

Relations between Pat Foye, who was picked by Cuomo to run the MTA in March, and Tony Utano, president of TWU Local 100, grew adversarial in the spring. In May, the agency briefly sent police officers to stake out agency timeclocks after the Empire Center for Public Policy published a report detailing a $418 million spike in overtime, a 16% rise over the previous year. Read More

E.J. McMahon, of the Empire Center for Public Policy, noted, "This is black and white evidence that they wasted $1.2 billion of taxpayer money." As for Governor Cuomo, he appears to be delusional. During a visit to Buffalo earlier this year, he told media outlets that he was satisfied with Solar City and that they were "ahead of schedule." Read More

The increase was attributed to a higher minimum wage for healthcare workers and higher enrollment in managed long-term care plans, among other factors. According to the Empire Center for Public Policy, the state’s cap is flawed, as it is strained whenever enrollment goes up. Read More