Strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Credit Boosts New York’s Working Families

PRESS RELEASE

 For Immediate Release:  May 30, 2019

Contact: Dede Hill, Director of Policy, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy

(518) 879-6616 / dhill@scaany.org

Ron Deutsch, Executive Director, Fiscal Policy Institute (518) 469-6769 / deutsch@fiscalpolicy.org

Pete Nabozny, The Children’s Agenda (518) 929-1264 / pete@thechildrensagenda.org

Legislators & Advocates Call for Working Family Tax Credits to Fight Childhood Poverty

Strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child … (read more)

April 29, 2019. Families should pay no more than 30 percent of their income for rent according to housing advocates. Many public agencies set their support levels to meet this standard. Unfortunately, we find that across New York State, and in some of its major cities, significant shares of families are paying more than 30 percent of their income in rent. This is especially true among families of color. Severe rent burdens can badly reduce families’ ability to pay for … (read more)

For Immediate Release: April 29, 2019

Media contact: Fern Whyland, Communications Director, whyland@fiscalpolicy.org, 315-436-0558

(Albany, NY) Today the Fiscal Policy Institute released a new report “Nearly Half of New York Renters Are Rent Burdened” (add link) showing a majority of renting families statewide are “rent-burdened” meaning that they pay over the recommended standard of 30% of their income in rent – and for families of color that percentage climbs even higher. FPI cautions that the effects of rent burdens … (read more)

April 4, 2019. This article discusses the Trump administration’s claims that illegal immigration costs the United States $200 billion a year, which experts challenge. The author goes on to note that undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive public benefits with the exception of medical treatment for emergencies, emergency disaster relief, immunizations and pregnant women are eligible for Women, Infants & Children (WIC).

April 3, 2019. This article discusses the disappointment that advocates expressed when the New York State 2020 fiscal year budget was passed and it did not include a pied-a-terre tax, that would have implemented a recurring tax on non-primary residences that were worth more than $5 million. The author goes on to highlight that although a pied-a-terre tax was not included, a “mansion” tax, which will implement a one-time tax on residences sold for more than $25 million and a … (read more)

April 3, 2019. In this op-ed the author discusses their support for expanding access to driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants. The author argues that allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses would make roads safer, strengthen trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, and help immigrants integrate. Mickey Belosi, the author, also argues that in places like rural New York, a driver’s licenses is a necessity and that the 2005 REAL ID Act allows states the opportunity to develop a … (read more)

April 3, 2019. This op-ed discusses the opposition to the governor and lieutenant governor’s pay raises included in New York State’s 2020 fiscal year budget. The author notes that Governor Cuomo received a 40 percent pay raise and will be the highest paid chief executive by 2021. The author goes on to discuss how the pay raise was included in the budget despite funding for library construction and the Special Olympics being cut.

Once again, the state budget was passed … (read more)

April 2, 2019. This article discusses the controversy surrounding Governor Cuomo’s pay increase to $250,000 compared to the average salary of all governor’s at $179,000. The author goes on to highlight that even though the governor got a pay increase, funding was cut for library construction and the Special Olympics in New York State. The article quotes FPI’s executive director, Ron Deutsch, who points out that human service workers are severely underpaid. The author goes on to quote many advocates … (read more)

April 2, 2019. This article discusses New York State lawmakers’ opposition to a pied-a-tierre tax and their support for a real estate transfer tax. The article goes on to discuss lobbyists who argued that a pied-a-tierre tax would cause the high-end market to collapse due to the recurring surcharge. According to the article, lawmakers want to implement a real estate transfer tax that would require a one-time fee on all real estate transactions over $3 million.

When state leaders rallied … (read more)