Tag: Transparency

The Empire Center’s Explore Your State Budget app has been updated to reflect the state’s mid-year financial report for fiscal 2014. This online database of New York state budget information, which is accessible through the Center’s SeeThroughNY website, includes actual results, estimates and projections for major spending and tax categories from 2012 until fiscal 2017. Additionally, the tool contains annual disbursements dating back to 1984 and tax receipts since 1976. Read More

In the realm of education, the best place to be from a financial standpoint is in an administrative role. According to information gathered from SeeThroughNY, superintendents are the highest paid employees in 15 of 18 Chautauqua County school districts as of this year - with other high-ranking positions rounding out the rest. Read More

Policymakers throughout New York are finding it increasingly difficult to balance their budgets in the face of a depressed economy. The newly enacted tax cap has helped shine a light on the unsustainable budgeting, compensation and spending practices that are plaguing New York’s municipalities. Read More

New York's State Legislature spent over $102 million during the six-month period ending last March, according to the latest legislative expenditure data posted at SeeThroughNY. The expenditure information, which goes back to 2007, can be sorted by reporting period, expenditure type, and member name. Users can also isolate spending for individual units of the Legislature's central staff. Read More

Although median household income and per capita income between Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties are similar, the pay of their elected officials is not. According to the Empire Center's 2012-13 edition of "What They Make," the center's annual report on public payrolls, the counties are ranked third, fifth and fourth respectively for western New York counties. The three come behind Erie and Niagara counties. Read More