The full exemption from all taxes is a "promising new wrinkle," said E.J. McMahon of the fiscally conservative Manhattan Institute. "But the state should go much further than this." McMahon said the state should use its more generous $440 million tax subsidy for TV and movie productions to phase out all corporate taxes for new and existing companies. Read More
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said that his proposal to allow up to three casinos in upstate New York will "create thousands of new jobs where they are needed most." Now comes the small print: it turns out those jobs will be controlled mainly by the state's politically powerful labor unions, whose support the governor presumably is courting for the constitutional amendment that voters will be asked to approve this fall to legalize casino gambling on a broader scale. Read More
, the Empire Center's senior fellow and frequent blogger on this site, discussed state tax issues Wednesday on YNN's "Capital Tonight" program with Liz Benjamin. Also appearing was Michael Kink, a leading advocate of higher taxes. . Read More
Now that the state Public Employees Federation (PEF) has rejected a proposed contract, Governor Andrew Cuomo is moving forward with 3,500 layoffs. Or, then again, . Tin the Albany Times Union suggests there is an 80 percent likelihood t Read More
To the consternation of the New York's largest state employee union, Gov. Cuomo has cleared the way for an increase in the share of health insurance premiums paid by retired state workers. Read More
Yesterday's by Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) will help Gov. Cuomo reach his workforce savings targets in a tightly balanced state budget. Almost as important, Cuomo's with the largest state government union -- including a three-year Read More
If New York's state government unions ultimately reject with Governor Andrew Cuomo, the may ultimately deserve part of the blame. Triborough ensures that provisions of a public-sector union contract remain in effect even after the contract expi Read More
The image on the cover of New York State's is obviously meant to convey the sense that there's not only a light visible at the end of the budgetary tunnel, we're just about to emerge into broad daylight. But the report itself, released late yesterday Read More