E.J. McMahon of the fiscally conservative Empire Center for Public Policy, takes issue in a blog post today with some of state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s comments yesterday about the pension fund’s performance. DiNapoli, sole trustee of the Read More
The Empire Center has compiled Pennsylvania figures from 2007 to 2011, to indicate that in the early years there is money to be made, per capita. So if a landowner receives a windfall, on average, everyone got a boost. It avoids projecting past 2011. Read More
The data show that enrollments are falling statewide, but there is no corresponding dropoff in expenses. Even as they jettison positions, districts are vexed to keep pace with mandated costs like pensions. When district voters go to the polls Tuesday, the average tax levy increase will be 4.6 percent. There are no signs the budget-juggling will get any easier going forward. Read More
The Empire Center for New York State Policy last week released a study that found the average per-pupil spending proposed for 2013-14 is rising at the highest rate since the recession. The average proposed tax increase is 3.9 percent, up from 3 percent last year. Read More
The Empire Center for New York State Policy reports that this year, school budgets will be subject to an average tax-levy limit of 4.6 percent. The average limit last year was 3 percent. Read More
Voters across Long Island approved school budgets at a 95 percent clip Tuesday, confirming widespread predictions that residents would support spending plans held to modest increases by state-imposed tax caps. Budgets were defeated, however, in six of the seven Island school systems that attempted to bust their district's tax-cap limits. Read More
Teacher pensions are controlled by state lawmakers, but, according to a report by Newsday, their efforts to reduce expenses could take a decade or more to take effect. "Discussions at school budget meetings are restricted to nickel-and-dime matters, while the 10,000-pound gorilla in the room -- employee compensation and benefits -- is not to be discussed," said E.J. McMahon, an independent analyst and senior fellow at the Empire Center for New York State Policy. Read More