A recent report from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli showed that New York had reached its highest-ever employment level — topping 9 million jobs in 2014 — after adding 538,000 jobs since 2009. Job growth, however, was not evenly distributed across the Empire State. Read More
On the surface, today's newly released state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers for 2014 amount to an unalloyed good-news story for New York State. Preliminary data from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis show the state's real GDP grew slightly faster than the national average in 2014, rebounding from a weak 2013. However, a closer look at the data reveals stagnation last year in New York's manufacturing sector, offset by a heavy reliance on finance and other industries located mainly in New York City. However, the new data also reflect a continuing decline in New York's manufacturing sector, offset by a heavy reliance on finance and other sectors located mainly in New York City. Read More
On Thursday, the state Senate will consider a bill to force all heating oil in New York to contain at least 2 percent biodiesel. It’s a feel-good, do-harm idea — not least because the law would harm everything it’s supposed to help. Read More
A proposal to mandate the use of biodiesel in home heating oil in New York would raise consumer costs while reducing overall energy efficiency, according to a report jointly released today by the Empire Center for Public Policy and the Manhattan Institute. Read More
A proposal to mandate the use of biodiesel in home heating oil in New York would raise consumer costs while reducing overall energy efficiency and consuming more fossil fuels. Read More
New York State's economic development agency spent more than $200 million to advertise its programs without attempting to measure whether the ads produced results, according to an audit by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. Read More
Otsego, Delaware and other small counties are like "orphans" facing forces beyond their control in the storm of upstate's economic challenges, a public policy analyst said Wednesday. Edmund J. McMahon, president of the Empire Center for Public Policy, spoke about upstate's deficit in economic growth to about 35 guests at a meeting of Citizen Voices at The Carriage House, 790 Southside Drive in Oneonta. Read More
As they compete for up to $500 million being offered by state officials in an economic development contest, several upstate business leaders are planning to hire private consultants to help them craft their bids. Read More