It's increasingly clear that the federal government's "Build America Bonds" program, part of the stimulus, was a backdoor bailout for California. Under the program, states can issue taxable bonds, with the federal government reimbursing them for the Read More
Could New York’s state government realize significant savings by encouraging private-sector firms to challenge entrenched public-sector monopolies? Read More
In the middle of its worst economic downturn since the 1930s, New York State has just enacted its biggest personal income-tax hike since 1961. Read More
Former Navy Secretary John Lehman has a good in today's Post on the importance of competition in government partnerships with the private sector, even on long, complex contracts that don't seem to lend themselves to competition. Lehman n Read More
In my yesterday, I linked to a Transport Workers Union (TWU) narrative from the union's website that said the TWU's leadership had walked "the length of the parade arm in arm" during last month's Labor Day parade in Brooklyn with Democratic mayo Read More
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) local 100, which represents most Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) union workers in the city, has launched a "no contract, no peace" effort to push the MTA into dropping its lawsuit against the state's re Read More
Xerox (ACS) for $6.4 billion. Why? Partly because ACS does a lot of work for government entities, processing Medicare benefits and all kinds of other stuff. Big businesses -- including Xerox and ACS competitor IBM, which is running ads all over p Read More
Some states are being more stimulated than others. February's stimulus package included something called "Build America Bonds." Under the program, states can issue taxable debt to bondholders to raise money for infrastructure projects, rather than i Read More
Unlike other states, New York has avoided massive layoffs and furloughs of public employees to close recurring budget gaps. That could change. Newsday : Gov. David A. Paterson and some lawmakers are raising the spect Read More
NY on road to IOU-land, too If David Paterson truly is determined to remain governor of New York, it might help if he started acting like one. Read More
Sometimes the credit crisis seems like last year's news. At least, you would think so if you looked at projected Wall Street bonuses and New York City and State public spending. But a new Moody's report shows how the crisis continues to impact Read More
My suggests that, thanks to Governor Paterson's lack of leadership, New York State is sliding faster towards a fiscal abyss. Read More