Yearly Archives: 2008

Low Wages, No Bargain: Retail Jobs in New York City

December 22, 2008. The outlook for the 2008 holiday shopping season is bleak. Despite more shoppers in the stores, looking for steep discounts, profits are down. And corporate owners aren't the only ones getting hurt. The retail sector has long been an important part of the local economy - and is more critical than ever given the ongoing retrenchment of the financial sector. But jobs in retail too often fail to support the American dream, as shown by demographic information about retail workers in the [...]

2020-11-13T14:48:32-05:00December 22nd, 2008|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
Read More

Economists to Governor: Raise High-End Income Taxes To Help Close Budget Gaps

December 13, 2008. 120 economists from throughout New York State joined together this week to send a message to Albany: steep cuts in state spending will weaken the already struggling New York economy, and will hurt poor and middle income New Yorkers. In a letter to the governor, the economists urge him to take a balanced approach to closing the gap in the state budget between revenues and spending - an approach that includes raising taxes on high-income households.

2020-11-13T14:50:34-05:00December 13th, 2008|Blog, Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Press Releases, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|
Read More

New York City Unemployment in 2009: The Emerging Crisis

December 11, 2008. While New York City lagged the national economy entering the downturn, the recession is clearly here in full force, and labor market conditions are likely to deteriorate rapidly in the months ahead. The number of unemployed New York City residents could rise by 120,000 over the next year, escalating the hardships felt by tens of thousands of New York families and straining the social safety net. Report >>

2020-11-13T14:48:32-05:00December 11th, 2008|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
Read More

Testimony before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee hearing on the impact of the economic crisis on the state budget

November 13, 2008. Testimony submitted by FPI's Frank Mauro and Ronald Deutsch of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness. To avoid deepening the already threatening recession, the state must not rely solely on drastic cuts in state spending to close current and expected budget gaps. A balanced approach includes tapping the state's tax stabilization reserve fund (put together for this very purpose), surgical cuts in wasteful spending, and a high-end income tax surcharge like that used successfully in 2003 to close post-9/11 gaps.

2020-11-13T14:50:34-05:00November 13th, 2008|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy, Testimony|
Read More

Maximizing the Value and Use of State Assets

November 6, 2008. Testimony of James A. Parrott before the New York State Commission on State Asset Maximization. To fulfill the commission's charge to "maximize the value and use of state assets," the state should carefully consider in-house design and prevailing wage standards when setting up new projects. Also, economic development subsidies should include strict accountability standards; the state should not act as project investor without receiving in return an ownership stake for the taxpayers.

2020-11-13T14:56:16-05:00November 6th, 2008|Economic Trends & Policy, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Testimony|
Read More

Wages for young New York Workers stuck at 1979 levels: Union representation means higher wages, more benefits

October 16, 2008. A new report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research, Unions and Upward Mobility for Young Workers, shows that the median wage in New York State for unionized young workers is 13 percent higher than for nonunion - and 15.5 higher for young women. Press release including New York-specific data >>

2020-11-13T14:50:34-05:00October 16th, 2008|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Press Releases|
Read More

Unions Lift Wages for New York’s Hispanics

September 16, 2008. Unionization doubles health care and pension coverage. A new report from the Center on Economic and Policy Research, Unions and Upward Mobility for Latino Workers, shows that the median wage in New York State for unionized worker is $16.46 per hour, compared to a median of $12.00 per hour for nonunion. Press release including New York-specific data >>

2020-11-13T14:50:35-05:00September 16th, 2008|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Press Releases|
Read More

Testimony on MTA Financing

September 15, 2008. Testimony of James A. Parrott before the New York State Commission on MTA Financing. Albany will have to make some tough choices to align the MTA's recurring spending needs with recurring revenues. It will not be easy to do this during a downturn, but it is imperative that the State and the City put in place a phased-in approach that stabilizes MTA finances for the long term.

2012-04-17T19:48:50-04:00September 15th, 2008|State Budget, Tax & Budget, Testimony|
Read More

Brooklyn Labor Market Review – Fall 2008

September 12, 2008. Commissioned by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, this review finds that Brooklyn will experience a weaker labor market, and slower wage and income growth in 2008 and through the first half of 2009. However - attesting to the diversity and resiliency of Brooklyn's economic base - the borough's job decline will be far less than New York City's, just as in the previous slowdown of 2001-2003. Read the report >>

2020-11-13T14:48:32-05:00September 12th, 2008|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
Read More

Bush Administration Rule Would Force Health Centers to Close

September 8, 2008. FPI and others urge Congress to block this hostile rule and provide temporary fiscal relief through Medicaid. The new rule would have wide-ranging negative impacts of the new rule; advocates ask for a one-year moratorium and for inclusion of a temporary increase to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) in the second emergency supplemental stimulus package. Press release and letter to members of Congress.

2012-03-15T17:08:17-04:00September 8th, 2008|Press Releases, Tax & Budget|
Read More
Go to Top