Four years of on-time budgets is an accomplishment Governor Andrew Cuomo loves to mention, but this year could be different. Cuomo is pushing lawmakers to adopt stringent ethics legislation as part of the budget agreement. If they don't reach a deal by the April 1 deadline, a government shutdown is possible. Read More
One of the hallmarks of ride-sharing services like Uber is their practice of temporarily boosting prices to encourage more drivers to accept fares. It’s supply and demand at its simplest, and while critics have derided this price mechanism, anyone giving flowers to their valentine today is living proof that “surge pricing” benefits both providers and consumers. Read More
The complete 2014 New York state government payroll is now posted on SeeThroughNY.net, the Empire Center’s government spending transparency website. Read More
As expected, the current scandal in Albany around state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has fanned the flames for more reform in the Legislature. “Term limits would strike at a problem more pervasive than corruption (at the Capitol): legislative careerism,” says Tim Hoefer, executive director of the Empire Center for Public Policy. Read More
Sheldon Silver's 38 years in the Assembly allowed him to amass immense political power which he is accused of abusing to pocket millions of dollars in kickbacks. And it's that 38 years in a public office that will give him a pension worth more than the annual salary of a rank-and-file assembly member. Read More
If Sheldon Silver remains a rank-and-file legislator after stepping down as Assembly speaker, he will be losing money on the deal, according to the Empire Center's pension calculator. Read More
The corruption case against Speaker Sheldon Silver has prompted more calls for reform of the Legislature. Read More
Though it hit the state Capitol like a tidal wave Thursday, the arrest of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver on federal corruption charges isn't the first time a legislative leader has been charged with wrongdoing. But it could turn out to be a watershed. Read More