June 18, 2018. The Fiscal Policy Institute joined Citizens Budget Commission, Citizens Union, Common Cause NY, and Reinvent Albany in front of the Federal Courthouse in Manhattan to call on Assembly Speaker Heastie to Allow a vote on the Database of Deals and Comptroller’s Procurement Integrity Act.

FPI’s Chief Economist, Jonas Shaende gave the following remarks during the press conference this afternoon, “The lack of transparency and proper oversight enables corruption as is evidenced by these massive criminal trials. The … (read more)

Contact:

Ron Deutsch, Fiscal Policy Institute, 518-469-6769

John Kaehny, Reinvent Albany, 917-941-9865

Jessica Wisneski, Citizen Action of New York, 845-901-0264

Jasmine Gripper, Alliance for Quality Education, 347-301-6277

Ethan Geringer-Sameth, Citizens Union; 914-715-0887

Susan Lerner, Common Cause New York; 917-670-5670

Jennifer Wilson, League of Women Voters NYS; 518-465-4162

Blair Horner, NYPIRG; 518-727-4506

Michael Kink, Strong Economy for All, 518-527-2787

Progressive Groups, Government and Budget Watchdogs Call On Assembly Speaker Heastie to Allow Vote on Database of Deals and Comptroller’s Procurement Integrity … (read more)

May 22, 2018 Empire State Plaza, Meeting Room 4, Albany, NY

This legislative briefing will address the problem of fiscal stress among New York’s local governments and the role the State Legislature can play in addressing these challenges.

What can NY learn from other states? What does the in depth research on NYS show?

We are seeing important shifts in intergovernmental relations, most recently with the Federal tax reform on SALT.  How can NY best respond to these challenges?

Come … (read more)

The United States and New York are in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Nearly 11 million American households pay over half of their income in rent despite the fact that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines “affordable housing” as housing costing below 30 percent of a family’s income for rent. If a family pays more than 30 percent of their income on rent, they are considered “rent burdened.”

In New York State, the affordable housing … (read more)

“What Wealth Inequality Looks Like in Our Community,” an interactive program, will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, at Caffé Lena, Phila Street, Saratoga Springs.

Please join the Fiscal Policy Institute’s Ron Deutsch and others in discussing issues like food insecurity, poverty, and the impact of the federal administration’s changes on New York.

For more information, see the event page on the Times Union.… (read more)

February 15, 2018. In its 28th annual New York State budget briefing book, the Fiscal Policy Institute analyzes and comments on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s FY 2019 Executive Budget.

The Trump Administration’s tax law, looming federal budget cuts, multi-billion-dollar state budget deficits, glaring unmet human and physical infrastructure needs throughout the state…this year’s New York State budget negotiations are taking shape against a worrisome and uncertain backdrop. The president and congress are threatening to dismantle decades-old federal entitlement programs, make … (read more)

November 2, 2017. On Election Day, New York’s voters will have their first opportunity in 20 years to call for a state constitutional convention via ballot proposition. Nearly 100 Capital District voters packed the auditorium at the Guilderland Public Library last Tuesday night for a panel discussion titled “Would New York State Benefit from a Constitutional Convention?” The event, co-presented by the League of Women Voters of Albany County and the Women’s Press Club of New York State, was … (read more)

October 30, 2017. There is just over a week left until New Yorkers head to the polls. Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, and Susan Welber, Staff Attorney at The Legal Aid Society, weighed in on why they are urging a no vote on Ballot Question One, the Constitutional Convention Question.

 

Access to the full podcast can be found HERE.… (read more)

October 30, 2017.

Here’s a story you don’t hear every day: in the latest spat between Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor De Blasio, both of them are right. Congestion pricing, the governor’s proposal, and a surcharge to the millionaire’s tax, the mayor’s proposal, are both good ideas.

The not-so-secret feuding between the governor and the mayor has not served New Yorkers well. From the serious to the petty, the two Democrats don’t seem to be able … (read more)

A Constitutional Convention – A Risk NOT Worth Taking

Ron Deutsch, Fiscal Policy Institute

The New York Constitution articulates the legal rights of New Yorkers, and in many vital areas, provides our residents more protections than the U.S. Constitution. A Constitutional Convention is an expensive, complicated and potentially dangerous undertaking that is unnecessary because we already have a more rigorous and more democratic process by which the voters can adopt or reject individual amendments to the State Constitution on their … (read more)