A new Empire Center report reveals that the New York Medicaid program now covers more individuals above the poverty line than below it. Read More
Research
Governor Hochul is promising to reform the Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) in the wake of negative publicity arising from its role in the controversy over former Governor Cuomo’s book deal for “American Crisis.” It’s the latest incident to put JCOPE under the spotlight in its ten-year history. Read More
Recent contracts to fuel more than a third of New York City’s electricity grid will raise electricity bills for upstate ratepayers up to 9.9 percent. Read More
A climate law adopted by the State Legislature in 2019 requires that New York transition to alternative energy sources on an aggressive timeline. Read More
A bill passed this morning in the U.S. House of Representatives would lift the cap on state and local income tax (SALT) deductions from $10,000 to $80,000. Read More
New York just tallied its biggest year-to-year October private-sector job gain on record, according to the state's latest monthly state Labor Department report. Read More
The state Health Department released a flurry of 20 COVID-related data sets this week, taking its biggest step yet toward full transparency about the state's pandemic response. Read More
This paper describes seven core objectives and offers specific policy recommendations toward their accomplishment. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, rather a good place to start work towards an Altered State with a growing economy, a more efficient public sector and new opportunities for an engaged and informed citizenry. Read More
The city spent $3.2 billion on retiree health care last year. But that’s just the tip of a $118 billion iceberg of debt it owes — more than any government except the state of California. Read More
The taxpayer share of pension costs in New York's suburban and upstate school districts will rise by up to $100 million in 2022-23 as a result of actuarial changes approved last week by trustees of NYSTRS. Read More
For most New Yorkers, employer-sponsored health benefits exist only while they are on the job. When they retire, the benefits end. Not so for public employees. Read More
Much of the material in the state's pandemic stockpile had passed its expiration date when the coronavirus crisis struck in March 2020, according to newly released Health Department records. Read More