In a consequential win for government transparency, the New York State Supreme Court has ordered a Long Island school district to comply with the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), following years of evasion. In addition to providing its teacher and superintendent contracts, Malverne Union Free School District has reimbursed the Empire Center for Public Policy’s legal expenses. Read More
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s economic development programs have been the subject of two federal corruption trials that ended with convictions for two of Cuomo’s former associates. But some say problems with the $9 billion programs go beyond corruption and that the structure of the programs is flawed. Read More
It’s tempting to dismiss this as political posturing. Unfortunately, the governor’s rhetoric hints that his assault on the public’s right to know might not end there. Read More
The newly revealed federal probe of Crystal Run Healthcare, a large doctors group in the Hudson Valley, fits a common pattern with Albany scandals: It's not just about bad behavior but also bad policy. Read More
"Number one, this money is not being used to fund public priorities. Number two, it's using borrowed money and forcing future taxpayers to pick up the tab for politicians to win political points today," said Ken Girardin, policy analyst at the right-leaning Empire Center for Public Policy. Read More
Given all the blather – particularly at re-election time – about government of the people, by the people and for the people, it shouldn’t be nearly this hard for "the people" to find out what’s being done in their name. Read More
New York state and Gov. Andrew Cuomo continue to pick the pockets of hard-working taxpayers. Read More
The Empire Center’s Ken Girardin notes that this borrowing forces “future taxpayers to pick up the tab for politicians to win political points today.” Read More