Tax & Budget

Hundreds of millions at stake for New York’s working families: Current tax debate to determine future of key work-supporting tax credits

September 27, 2010. Low- and moderate-income New Yorkers have a huge stake in the tax debate now going on at the national level: over $600 million annually in work-supporting tax credits. Enhancements to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) that were made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will expire at the end of 2010 unless extended by Congress. A new report from the Fiscal Policy Institute reviews the workings of… (read more)

Federal Tax Policy at a Crossroads

September 21, 2010. This policy brief compares the distributional impacts on New York taxpayers of President Obama’s plan and an alternative plan laid our in the Senate Republican leadership bill S.3773 – and looks at the impact of the same two proposals on programs and services. Conclusion? There are five reasons that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy should be allowed to expire as scheduled, and the modifications of those tax cuts enacted as part of the… (read more)

Stingy on Stimulants

August 8, 2010. A letter to the editor by James Parrott, Crain’s New York Business.

New York Not-for-Profits Fighting Governor’s Vetoes

July 27, 2010. Governor Paterson’s vetoes eliminated funds for the 2010 fiscal year and previous years – funds that had been promised by legislators to not-for-profits for a variety of critical services and needed programs in local communities throughout the state.

Albany press conference: FPI’s Frank Mauro and Ron Deutsch of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness were among the speakers. Sponsored by the New York AIDS Coalition, New York State Catholic Conference, New York State Community Action Association, New York… (read more)

Testimony by David Dyssegaard Kallick: The relationship between immigration and economic growth

June 30, 2010. Senior fellow David Dyssegaard Kallick testified at a public hearing held by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to hear ideas from members of the public. He testified about the relationship between immigration and economic growth and about the importance of federal support for state and local governments. Read the testimony.

Strike a Fairer Balance In Balancing City Budget: Trim Hedge Funds, Not Services

June 18, 2010. An op ed by James A. Parrott, The Chief.

Groups Call Upon Schumer and Gillibrand to Restore Medicaid and COBRA Health Insurance Funding

June 8, 2010. This press release from coalition partners highlights FPI’s analysis of the impact on New York State and New York City of a 6-month extension of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s increased share of state Medicaid costs. The groups also call for extension of ARRA’s assistance with COBRA premiums.

The Mayor’s Executive Budget Proposal

June 7, 2010. Testimony presented by James Parrott before the New York City Council Committee on Finance.

New York Shouldn’t Look to Massachusetts as a Model for Property Tax Reform

May 25, 2010. With Governor Cuomo proposing a rigid cap on property taxes based on Massachusetts’ Proposition 2½, this 2010 update of a landmark report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities should be must reading for New York policymakers. This report describes the problems the cap has created in Massachusetts and explains why the impact could be even more severe in New York. Among the key lessons of the Massachusetts experience:

  • A tax cap

(read more)

New York City: Economic and Budget Challenges

May 20, 2010. While Wall Street may have recovered, the average New York worker is still mired in the Great Recession. New York like most states has severe budget problems and not enough Federal aid; moreover, state and local government budget cuts will harm the local economy and slow the national recovery. In this context, the Mayor’s NYC budget proposal punishes workers and the poor but does not ask the well-off or Wall Street to share the burden. This presentation includes… (read more)