Boosted in many cases by enormous overtime totals, the average pay of employees at the bi-state Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is among the highest found in any of the region’s large public-sector employers, as reflected in 2013 payroll records posted today at SeethroughNY.net, the Empire Center's transparency website... Read More
The statewide teachers union is celebrating a court ruling that, in contravention of long-established precedents, would allow the New York State Teachers Retirement System to treat the identities of its pension recipients as confidential information. The Empire Center will be seeking leave to appeal the case, as our director, Tim Hoefer, announced yesterday. Read More
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano has reached a tentative contract deal with the Nassau Police Benevolent Association (PBA). That’s what Nassau residents have been told via Newsday and the other Long Island news media, at any rate. Read More
In a case that could have ramifications for government transparency, New York's top judges may decide whether details about taxpayer-funded teacher pensions should remain hidden or be open to the public. Read More
In a landmark case revolving around key provisions of New York’s Freedom of Information Law, the Empire Center is asking the state’s highest court to review lower-court rulings that would enable the New York City Police Pension Fund — and, potentially, the state’s other public pension systems, as well — to keep secret the names of retired employees receiving taxpayer-guaranteed pension benefits. Read More
As the clock ticks down towards Thursday’s adjournment of the state Legislature, Senate Republican leaders apparently are blocking a vote on a bill designed to ensure that the names of New York’s public pension recipients are (once again) unequivocally treated as public information. Read More
Property tax burdens in New York’s counties, based on U.S. Census data crunched by the Tax Foundation, are presented in an online map widget unveiled yesterday as part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s new “CitizenConnects” program. Read More
It’s an open-and-shut case: The public has a right to know which retired public employees are earning pensions and just how much they’re pocketing. Read More