Blog

School districts outside New York City could issue bonds to finance up more than $1 billion in teacher pension contributions over the next two years under a bill promoted by the statewide teachers' union, the Wall Street Journal reports today. Read More

The Citizens Budget Commission's Charles Brecher presented a report this morning on "Benchmarking Efficiency for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Services." Brecher and his staff compared the MTA's operating efficiency across subways, buses... Read More

Bob Scardamalia of RLS Demographics, Inc., longtime state demographic guru and current data consultant to the Empire Center, has issued a useful summary of the recently released U.S. Census numbers for for New York. Read More

Among the several hundred "teachers, public workers, renters, health care advocates and college students" who clogged the State Capitol in a last-ditch budget protest yesterday was Maria Pacheco, a Spanish teacher in Rotterdam-Mohonasen schools, who complained that cuts in state education aid will force her Albany area district to lay off 44 teachers. Read More

In a major victory for taxpayers, New York State's highest court has ruled unanimously that Buffalo teachers are not entitled to catch-up longevity pay step increases for the 38 months when their wages were frozen by the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority. Read More

Nassau County's Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) has imposed a wage freeze on county employees. The freeze, which will save at least $10 million this year, "is not only necessary but also a reasonable response to the county's fiscal distress," the authority said. Read More

New York State is among the easiest places in the country to qualify for the federal Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, the Wall Street Journal reports today. Read More

Today's Post describes a public-private real-estate deal that perfectly encapsulates New York's housing policy. David Seifman writes that the city will lavish nearly $3 million on a Brooklyn developer, Tali Realty LLC, to turn the company's failed condo project into "affordable" housing. Read More