The Empire Center’s Explore Your State Budget app has been updated to reflect financial data in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed 2015-16 Executive Budget.

The 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 2019. Additionally, the tool contains annual disbursements dating back to 1984 and tax receipts since 1976.

“Our state budget app is an important tool for New York taxpayers to review the governor’s proposed state budget,” said E.J. McMahon, the Empire Center’s president. “It can be used to analyze past budget trends and choices to assess the ongoing debate about how the state will raise and spend taxpayer money.”

Historical spending and tax data are presented both in nominal and inflation-adjusted terms. In addition, data can be downloaded and saved in spreadsheet form. Here is a small sampling of important budget trends revealed by the Explore Your State Budget database:

• The number of state Medicaid recipients will grow to 6.4 million people in fiscal 2016.
• School aid is projected to grow by a total of 20 percent over the next four years.
• Inflation-adjusted state tax receipts are on track to climb by nearly 9 percent through Governor Cuomo’s first four years in office, rebounding from a nearly 5 percent decrease during the previous four years.

The direct web address for Explore Your State Budget is www.seethroughny.net/nysbudget.

Learn more about the Empire Center and its efforts to make New York a better place to live and work by visiting www.empirecenter.org.