Press Releases

New York’s 2005-2007 minimum wage increases: Good for the state’s workers, good for the economy

January 22, 2007. New York businesses, and workers, are thriving with the higher minimum wage. Minimum wage increases in New York have defied predictions that they would hurt the very low-wage workers they were designed to help. In fact, while benefiting many New Yorkers, they have not led to shrinking employment in low-wage businesses. Based on this evidence, New York's minimum wage should be raised again (to the point that a full time worker could keep a family of three out of poverty) and then [...]

2020-11-13T14:58:54-05:00January 22nd, 2007|Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
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One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity

November 20, 2006. One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity is a comprehensive look at the economic and fiscal policy recommendations New York needs to strengthen the economy in each region of the state and to strengthen the middle class. One New York: full report, executive summary, press release (also below) Related: One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity, by Jim Bertolone, president of the Rochester & Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation. Appeared in both the Rochester Business Journal and the Labor News, [...]

2020-11-13T14:50:35-05:00November 20th, 2006|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
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Increasing access to food stamps would boost the New York City Economy

October 17, 2006. Currently, the flow of federal food stamps into New York City - about $1.4 billion annually to nearly 1.1 million people at an average benefit of $110 per person per month - supports 9,600 jobs and $850 million of annual economic activity. This issue of Fiscal Policy Note$ finds that if access to the program were expanded so that all those eligible were participating, food stamp spending would increase by $355 million. This spending would create 2,300 more jobs and $210 million [...]

2020-11-13T15:11:24-05:00October 17th, 2006|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, Social Policy|
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New York Makes Real Progress on Health Care Coverage

September 27, 2006. This issue of Fiscal Policy Note$ presents data showing that the portion of the state population without health insurance has fallen from 16.3% in 2000 to 13.5% in 2005. Nevertheless, there are still 2.6 million people in the state who have no health insurance. The share of private sector employees covered by health insurance continued to fall while the portion of the population covered by government programs in New York rose from 27% to 31%. Press release below. Two national reports were also [...]

2020-11-13T15:06:56-05:00September 26th, 2006|Healthcare, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, Social Policy|
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State of Working New York 2006: An Uneven Recovery

September 2, 2006. New York's recovery has been uneven, with wages yet to rise while worker productivity climbs. Economic and fiscal pressures restrain the rebound for most of upstate; in particular, western New York lags. Press release (also below) Report Supplemental tables and graphs from the report. In addition, each appendix figure provides support or underlying details for the corresponding figure in the text: all appendices and individual tables: Population of New York's super-regions and region definitions Population, employment, wages, and per capita income, New [...]

2020-11-13T14:50:35-05:00September 2nd, 2006|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
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$90 million in TANF Funds Trapped in Budget Limbo

May 24, 2006. Advocates call upon Governor to adopt legislature's bi-partisan agreement on TANF Funds. Press release below. Also see attachments: The Allocation of the New York's TANF Block Grant Funds for 2006-07 and Flexible Fund for Family Services allocations by county. Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Advocates for Low-Income New Yorkers held a press conference today at the Legislative Office Building to urge Governor Pataki to stop playing politics with federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant funds. The groups urged the Governor [...]

2020-11-13T15:11:24-05:00May 24th, 2006|Press Releases, Social Policy, State Budget, Tax & Budget|
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Roth IRA “Conversion” Gimmick May be Used to Mask the True Cost of New Tax Cut Package Nearing Adoption by Congress

May 5, 2006. Press release below; also, links to additional resources. Roth IRA "Conversion" Gimmick May be Used to Mask the True Cost of New Tax Cut Package Nearing Adoption by Congress As news reports of the last several days have indicated, the chairs of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee have reached an "agreement in principle" on a tax reconciliation bill that would include approximately $70 billion of tax-cut extensions including a two-year extension of the dividends and capital [...]

2020-10-27T13:07:10-04:00May 5th, 2006|Press Releases, Tax & Budget|
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Over $1 Billion in TANF Block Grant Funds Trapped in Budget Limbo

May 3, 2006. Groups call upon the Governor to adopt the legislature's bi-partisan agreement on use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds. Joint release from New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, the Fiscal Policy Institute, the Hunger Action Network of New York State and the Empire Justice Center: Advocates for Low-Income New Yorkers held a press conference today at the Legislative Office Building to urge Governor Pataki to stop playing politics with over $1 billion in federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant [...]

2020-11-13T15:11:24-05:00May 3rd, 2006|Press Releases, Social Policy, State Budget, Tax & Budget|
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House of Representatives’ proposed FY 2007 budget plan calls for large cuts in domestic programs while increasing the federal budget deficit

April 3, 2006. Press release: House Budget Calls for Large Cuts in Domestic Programs and Would Worsen Deficit Program Cuts Even Larger Than Those Proposed by President or Senate, Yet Would Be Offset by Tax Cuts and Added Defense-Related Spending The five-year budget plan approved on Wednesday, March 29, 2006, by the US House of Representatives’ Budget Committee is badly out of step with both America’s needs and Americans' concerns for fiscal responsibility and adequate funding of critical services. Both houses of Congress are now [...]

2020-10-27T13:07:10-04:00April 3rd, 2006|Press Releases, Tax & Budget|
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States with minimum wages above the federal level have had faster small business and retail job growth

March 31, 2006. This new report from the Fiscal Policy Institute shows that the diverse set of states with minimum wages above the federal $5.15 level have had faster job growth among small businesses and in the retail trade sector than states where the lower federal minimum prevailed. Press release (also below), report. Press release Small business and retail job growth faster in states with minimum wages above the $5.15 federal level As more and more states act to raise their minimum wage, a new report [...]

2020-11-13T14:58:54-05:00March 31st, 2006|Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
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Pulling Apart: Gap Between New York’s Wealthiest and Poorest is Widest in the Nation

January 26, 2006. New studies find that New York has the most unequal income distribution of the 50 states. And the situation in the Empire State has gotten much worse over the last two decades. This is among the findings of a new report from FPI, Pulling Apart in New York: An Analysis of Income Trends in New York, by the Fiscal Policy Institute. Also see Pulling Apart: A State-by-State Analysis of Income Trends, a new analysis of income trends in the 50 states by [...]

2020-11-13T14:50:35-05:00January 26th, 2006|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
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State of Working New York 2005: New Yorker Workers Treading Water in a Tenuous Recovery

September 4, 2005. Gains of growth go to corporate profits and high-wage earners, while the middle class shrinks. The tenuous economic recovery of the past two years has been characterized by such weak wage growth that most of New York's working families have been left treading water, according to the latest edition of the State of Working New York.  FPI's State of Working New York series, published biennially since 1999, provides comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the data available on the conditions facing workers and [...]

2020-11-13T14:50:35-05:00September 4th, 2005|Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|
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