Monthly Archives: January 2019

January 30, 2019. Hedge funder Ken Griffin, who owns pricey properties in several other cities, snagged the most expensive apartment in not just New York City, but the entire country—but he reportedly doesn’t even plan to use the home as his primary residence. The sale prompted several elected officials to renew calls for a pied-à-Terre tax for secondary properties in New York City. The pied-à-terre tax is not a new concept. Back in 2014, state Senator Brad Hoylman drafted a bill based on a proposal by the Fiscal Policy Institute that [...]

January 30, 2019. With Democrats holding a commanding majority in the state Senate and Assembly, New York immigration advocates see a clear path to passing legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses. Approximately 92,000 undocumented immigrants over age 16 in the Lower Hudson Valley, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute, a union-backed think tank in Albany. Find the article at lohud.

January 27, 2019. In response to questionable numbers regarding undocumented immigrants stated by the Trump Administration, the Daily Beast breaks down the number and cost of taking in more undocumented immigrants. “It’s frustrating that the president of the United States throws out numbers without any way documenting what he is talking about, and then sends reporters and researchers scrambling to try to second guess what he may be talking about,” David Dyssegaard Kallick, director of immigration research at the Fiscal Policy Institute, told The Daily Beast. [...]

January 24, 2019. For several years, advocates have sought to allow New York residents access to state driver's licenses regarding of their immigration status. The effort has languished since 2007, when then-governor Eliot Spitzer unsuccessfully tried three times to reinstate driving licenses for non-citizens. The privilege had been rescinded in New York in part because of security concerns in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Fiscal Policy Institute concluded $57 million a year in recurring revenue would be generated in New York, [...]

January 23, 2019. Anti-poverty and children’s advocates are bracing for the fallout of proposed federal policy changes that would slash access to the social safety net for immigrant families, which could result in more children entering foster care. In California alone, 6.8 million people — 35 percent of whom are children — would be affected by the proposed changes to public charge, according to The Children’s Partnership. Nationwide, that number could be as many as 15 million adults and 9 million children, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute. Find the article [...]

January 18, 2019. In this op-ed, the author discusses the news that came out of a discussion between Sullivan County Clerk Dan Briggs and the New York State legislature which is that a bill for driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants is likely to pass this year. The author highlights the views of critics and advocates. Advocates support a bill for driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants because it would promote safer roads and prevent families from being separated when an unlicensed undocumented driver is pulled over [...]

January 10, 2019. This article discusses the controversy surrounding estimates of the cost of illegal immigration to the United States. The author points out that President Trump has used several different cost estimates including $200 billion, $250 billion and $275 billion in order to gain support for funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. The article goes on to discuss how an accurate estimate of the cost of illegal immigration is hard to determine. The author cites many tax and immigration experts who highlight that undocumented [...]

January 10, 2019. This article and news clip covers the controversial estimate, from the Center for Immigration Studies, that claims an undocumented immigrant costs the United States $82,000 over their lifetime. The article goes on to highlight that numerous times the President has used a different and often larger number when talking about the cost of illegal immigration. The estimate has come into question by other immigration experts including Meg Wiehe from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy and FPI's Deputy Director, David Dyssegaard [...]

January 10, 2019. This op-ed discusses the challenge that undocumented immigrant youth, who have graduated from New York high schools, face after graduation, which is not being able to afford college because they do not have access to state financial aid. The author goes on to discuss a solution to this problem, the New York State Dream Act, which would allow undocumented youth access to the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). The author highlights that Governor Cuomo fully supports this proposed bill. Every year thousands of [...]

January 8, 2019. The annual "People's State of the State" address from the Capitol steps on Tuesday rehashed many liberal principles from the past 30 years, but now the grassroots activists are feeling emboldened by the new makeup of the state Legislature. In advance of the new legislative session kicking off on Wednesday, a coalition of progressive organizations and labor unions voiced their continued support for action on criminal justice reform, expansion of voting rights, state investments in health care, higher taxes on the wealthy, [...]