September 12, 2012. Earlier today, the U.S. Census Bureau released its Current Population Survey (CPS) poverty estimates for 2011 for the nation and the 50 states. The release also included revised estimates for 2010.

The overriding message of the poverty data released today is that the poverty rate remains much too high – demonstrating the continuing impact of the Great Recession and the tepid and tenuous economic recovery. (The poverty rate is the percentage of people living below the federal… (read more)

September 12, 2012. James Parrott presented an overview of income and earnings to the New York City Workforce Funders, a group that meets quarterly to share information about workforce issues and enhance the effectiveness of New York City’s workforce development programs.

September 2, 2012. How are New Yorkers faring? Here’s the gist of this year’s annual report from FPI on the New York State economy:

• Unemployment in New York State has been around eight percent or higher for the past three and a half years, the longest stretch since the mid-1970s. The average duration of unemployment is currently nine months. The historic weakness of the recovery stems from the severity and nature of the Great Recession and financial

… (read more)

August 14, 2012. One of the best ways to speed up economic growth is to give a lift to the wages of the lowest paid workers.

Legislation awaits action now in Washington, D.C., that would boost the federal minimum wage in three 85 cent steps from $7.25 to $9.80 an hour. According to new estimates released today by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), this proposal would benefit 1.5 million New York workers, raising their pay by… (read more)

July 25, 2012. Testimony presented to the New York Assembly Standing Committees on Labor, Energy and Corporations, Authorities and Commissions. In sum: Con Ed’s lockout of its skilled workforce is unnecessarily putting the people of New York City and Westchester County at risk of serious electric, gas and steam outages. Con Ed’s actions jeopardize the incomes of thousands of hourly-paid workers and the business activity and viability of small businesses throughout the regional economy. Given the slow recovery from… (read more)

May 29, 2012. FPI’s analysis and commentary on the minimum wage issue has been highlighted in a number of recent news stories:

• Report: 880,000 Workers In NY Would Benefit From Higher Minimum Wage – an article by Joseph Spector, Gannett News Service, May 24, 2012.
• Wage Bill Would Benefit Bronx More than Other Counties, Report Says – an article by Patrick Wall, DNAinfo.com, May 24, 2012.
• The minimum wage, tax cuts, and

… (read more)

May 27, 2012. A letter to the editor by Frank Mauro and James Parrott, Crain’s New York Business.

Greg David’s recent blog post on income inequality (“Flash: Inequality falls dramatically in NYC”) leaves out an important part of the story. Yes, incomes of the top 1% fell during the 2008-09 recession, and the top 1% share of total income declined. But since then, income polarization has clearly resumed.

Berkeley economist Emmanuel Saez reported in early March that the top… (read more)

May 25, 2012. Tax reform advocacy groups from around the state gathered on May 22 to remind the Governor that he pledged to create a tax reform commission in his State of the State address earlier this year. News coverage:

• “Omnibus members question Cuomo’s tax plans” – a post by Rick Karlin, Albany Times Union Capitol Confidential blog.
• “Groups Urge Tax Reform” – a post by Joseph Spector, Albany Watch blog. Includes a

… (read more)

May 24, 2012. This new brief shows that among several of the state’s larger upstate counties, the share of workers who would benefit directly is well above the statewide average – 10.1 percent of all resident workers. In Broome County 12.6 percent of workers would benefit, in Oneida 12.5 percent, Erie County 11.4 percent, Monroe 11.1 percent and Onondaga 10.9 percent. Downstate, 352,000 New York City workers would benefit directly, as would 126,500 Long Island workers and 72,500 workers… (read more)

May 21, 2012. Last week, following Assembly passage of legislation to increase New York’s minimum wage to $8.50 an hour, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos argued that the minimum wage increase would harm minimum wage workers because they would pay more in taxes and some might lose eligibility for Family Health Plus. In this brief, The Fiscal Policy Institute and the National Employment Law Project review the facts and show that, on an after tax basis, all minimum wage… (read more)