Newly re-elected lawmakers returning to the General Assembly will enjoy a measure of financial security that few other people have —especially when compared to peers in other state governments, many private sector professionals or regular folks. Read More
A study commissioned by the movie industry says the tax break it gets from New York state sustained 29,000 jobs and generating $6.9 billion in economic activity last year. But some observers are skeptical.... Read More
New York may be about to get walloped by Washington again — only this time, with the blessing of the state’s own representatives in Congress. That’s right: As E.J. McMahon of the Manhattan Institute’s Empire Center noted on these pages yes Read More
The experts have started crunching the numbers on the Washington tax deal and the bottom line is that the cost is manageable and is unlikely to affect the local economy much..... Read More
Some local governments plan to borrow to pay their pension bills this year as a way to stave off growing retiree costs. Local governments, including for the first time the city of Elmira and Westchester County, said the amortization of pensions co Read More
Debt-ridden New York is heading toward a fiscal cliff of its own, state Controller Thomas DiNapoli warns. New York is fast approaching its debt cap and will have difficulty finding money to cover critical state-funded building and maintenance proj Read More
New York State’s payments to localities – much of it for mandated health, welfare and other services – has grown by less than half the inflation rate during the last decade, the state’s chief fiscal watchdog said Wednesday. State Comptroll Read More
State and federal aid to towns and counties hasn't kept pace with inflation over the last decade, a report issued Wednesday by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found. The problem adds to the budgetary bind in which many now find themselves. "The challe Read More