Contact: Lise Bang-Jensen
518-434-3100
Payrolls of two of New York’s largest public authorities—the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey and the New York State Thruway Authority—are now available at SeeThroughNY.net, the government transparency website sponsored by the Empire Center for Public Policy.
The detailed Port Authority payroll does nothing to diminish the bi-state authority’s reputation for high pay. As of May 2008, the payroll shows, 1,182 of the PA’s 7,082 employees made base salaries exceeding $100,000–including 21 whose salaries exceeded $200,000. But generous salaries aren’t limited to management ranks; for example, 18 gardeners at Port Authority’s three airports earned base pay over $63,700 a year.
The Thruway Authority has 4,260 employees, including 601 assigned to the Canal Corporation. Eighty-one employees earn base salaries of $100,000 or more.
Launched July 31, 2008, SeeThroughNY.net also includes payrolls of New York State, the Power Authority of New York and Long Island Power Authority.
In addition, the site provides access to: 1,400 contracts for teacher unions and school superintendents at nearly 733 school districts; legislative member-item grants; and legislative expenditures.
You may also like
132 NYSLRS Retirees Receive Pensions Over $200K in FY2026
A total of 132 retirees from the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) were eligible to collect $200,000 or more in pensions during the 2026 fiscal year, according to , the Empire Center’s government transparency website.
Among the 132 Read More
Port Authority Payroll Passes $1.2B as 20 Employees Collect $400k+
Twenty Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) employees collected more than $400,000 each in total pay last year, while average pay agencywide rose three percent, according to , the Empire Center’s government transparency website.
The Por Read More
NYC Employee Pension Payments Rise To $6.2 billion
The pension plan covering most New York city government agencies, including the City’s subway system, had 62 members with pension payments of at least $200,000 last year, according to , the Empire Center’s transparency website.
According to the d Read More
Fourteen NYC Educators Receive Over Half a Million Dollars in Pensions
Fourteen retired New York City educators received more than $500,000 in pension benefits in 2025, according to , the Empire Center’s government transparency website.
The data was obtained from the New York City Teachers’ Retirement Read More
34 MTA Workers Made $200K+ In Overtime In 2025
Thirty-four employees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) received more than $200,000 in overtime payments in 2025, as total annual pay surpassed half a million dollars for some, according to , the Empire Center’s governm Read More
Over Five Years Later, Arbeeny Family Support Still Critical to Promoting Government Transparency
Albany, NY — The Arbeeny family and the Empire Center are marking five years of partnership in remembrance of Norman Arbeeny, who passed away six years ago today after contracting COVID-19 in a Brooklyn nursing home.
To honor Nor Read More
Empire Center Breaks Down Albany’s Pork Barrel Spending
Albany legislators steered over $83 million in grants to 293 local projects between April and December 2025 , according to under a Freedom of Information Law request.
The governor and state legislators hand-picked the grantees for mor Read More
SeeThroughNY updated with latest union contracts
New York’s of state and local government union contracts has been updated with the latest collective bargaining agreements for local teachers, police, firefighters, libraries, and public authorities.
Among the on SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center Read More