Response from Governor Cuomo, Senate Leader Flanagan and Speaker Heastie to Largest Bid-Rigging Scandal in State History: NOTHING Elected leaders fail to pass common sense reforms to curb sky-high corruption risks revealed in $800m state contracting scandal  

(June 22, 2017, Albany) A coalition of prominent government watchdog groups say Governor Cuomo, Senate Leader Flanagan and Speaker Heastie have completely failed to address the huge problems revealed by last year’s alleged rigging of $800m in state economic development contracts and that … (read more)

For immediate release: June 14, 2017

Legislature Must Act Now Groups say Flanagan, Heastie and Cuomo must pass meaningful Clean Contracting reforms in response to $800m state bid-rigging scandal

Albany, New York – Prominent budget and transparency watchdog groups today called on the legislative leaders to act on their public statements on clean contracting, and pass meaningful legislation in response to the largest bid-rigging scandal in state history.

Senate President John Flanagan and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie are both on … (read more)

For Immediate Release: June 13, 2017                                                    

Media Contact: Ron Deutsch (FPI) 518-469-6769

Sherry Tomasky (Hunger Solutions) 518-414-2570

 

Trump Budget Would Shift Huge SNAP Costs to New York and Put New Yorkers at Risk of Going Hungry

 

Albany, NEW YORK –  President Trump’s budget proposal would shift a significant share of the cost of the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program’s (SNAP, previously known as Food Stamps) benefits to states and, for the first time, allow states to cut SNAP … (read more)

 Medicaid Supports New York’s Schools and Children House Republican Plans to Cut Medicaid Would Jeopardize Critical Health Services for Students

[Albany, NY] – New York’s schools receive over $273 million from Medicaid each year, according to data released by the Washington, DC-based Center on Budget and Policy … (read more)

For immediate release: April 11, 2017

FPI Statement on 2017-18 Enacted State Budget

There’s no question the newly-minted state budget contains some important public policy issues that should be lauded. However, given the governor’s very vocal concerns about funding threats from Washington, we sadly missed an opportunity to be proactive in protecting New York from … (read more)

March 21, 2017. The Fiscal Policy Institute and Responsible Wealth released a letter signed by over 80 wealthy New Yorkers urging Governor Cuomo to extend and expand the millionaires’ tax, currently in place but set to expire at the end of this year.

Signers include Eileen Fisher, Abigail Disney, Steven C. Rockefeller, George Soros, David A. Levine, Dal LaMagna, Lewis B. Cullman, among other notable names. All signers, many members of the Responsible Wealth project, are residents of New York … (read more)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Ron Deutsch, Fiscal Policy Institute, 518-469-6769, deutsch@fiscalpolicy.org

March 7, 2017. The Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) recently released a Policy Brief analyzing New York’s gross income disparity, recommending common sense solutions to narrowing the gap.

Since the 1980s, the income gap in the United States—as indicated by the wealthiest 1 percent’s share of total income—has grown significantly. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has been compiling income data since 1979, and has found that the … (read more)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2017

Contact: Ron Deutsch, Fiscal Policy Institute, 518-469-6769, deutsch@fiscalpolicy.org

Mike Leyba, Responsible Wealth, 562-266-4357, mleyba@faireconomy.org

Over 80 Upper-Income New Yorkers Urge Governor Cuomo and Legislature to Extend and Expand the Millionaires’ Tax

As New York State braces for proposed federal budget cuts that could have a devastating impact on health care, education and infrastructure investments across the state, more than 80 New York residents with incomes in the top 1% have sent an open letter … (read more)

In his briefing on Mayor deBlasio’s Preliminary FY 2018 NYC Budget, James Parrott highlights the following:

Cautious in face of an uncertain Washington: Federal aid is 1/3 of State budget (which is 18% of City budget); 8-10 % of City budget; 64% of NYCHA budget; and nearly half of the Health and Hospitals budget.

State budget better this year, but still challenges: Governor proposed to extend millionaires tax, but it should be enhanced; threat to CFE-settlement determined school aid; handful … (read more)

March 7, 2017. The millionaires’ tax is New York’s fiscal Swiss Army knife, a tool that addresses many different needs. It helps fund important priorities, balance the New York State budget, respond to heightened income inequality, and lessen the overall regressive state and local tax structure. And it is very much needed in New York today.

PDF of full Policy Brief… (read more)