Most New York school districts are proposing to hold their per-pupil tax levies within the levels permitted by a new statewide property tax cap, and the average proposed per-pupil spending increase is at or below the projected inflation rate in six out of nine regions of the state, according to an analysis issued today by the Empire Center for Public Policy. Read More
With New Yorkers preparing to vote on school budget propositions next Tuesday, the Empire Center today released the latest data for its Internet-based tool -- BenchmarkingNY’s Property Taxes by Location -- allowing taxpayers to compute and compare total school district, municipal and county tax burdens in thousands of communities across the state. Read More
Ninety-five out of 933 state Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) members who retired in 2011 qualified for a pension of more than $100,000, according to data posted at SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center’s government transparency website. Read More
New York’s public-sector employees have been promised $250 billion in post-retirement health benefits that the state and its local governments have set aside no money to pay for, according to updated figures released today by the Empire Center for Public Policy. These obligations have increased by $45 billion since the Empire Center first reported on them in 2010. Read More
New York’s counties, municipalities and school districts can eventually eliminate their long-term liabilities for retiree health benefits by encouraging the creation of employee-run Retirement Medical Trusts (RMTs), according to the Empire Center for Public Policy. Read More
A searchable online database of earnings for 366,640 employees of New York State school districts outside New York City was posted today at SeeThroughNY.net, the transparency website sponsored by the Empire Center for Public Policy. Read More
New York State can save money and improve health outcomes in its $54 billion Medicaid program by giving patients more incentive to “take ownership” of their own healthcare, according to a new report released today by the Empire Center for Public Policy. Read More
The complete 2012 New York state government payroll is now posted on SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center’s government transparency website. The database includes the names, titles, base pay rates, and total pay of 291,364 individuals who worked in the state’s executive, legislative, or judicial branches at any point in calendar year 2012. Read More