FPI’s immigration research cited: The White House Blog
July 12, 2012. Blogging from the White House, Jason Furman and Danielle Gray of the National Economic Council mention FPI's June 2012 report on immigrant small business owners in their post Ten Ways Immigrants Help Build and Strengthen Our Economy. America is a nation of immigrants. Our American journey and our success would simply not be possible without the generations of immigrants who have come to our shores from every corner of the globe. It is helpful to take a moment to reflect on the important contributions by the generations of immigrants who have helped us build our economy, and [...]
State Dream Laws and Obama Dream Act Portend a shift in U.S. Immigration Policy
July 7, 2012. A column by Moises Apsan, jornal.us News Service.
Report: Transit Fares High and Rising? Blame Bailed-Out Banks
June 9, 2012. Interest rate swap agreements are costing 12 transit agencies around the country over $500 million a year. That's the gist of a new report released June 7 by The Amalgamated Transit Union and a group called ReFund Transit. WNYC's Jim O'Grady reported on the release that day. On June 9, a column by Gretchen Morgenson appeared in the New York Times, "How Banks Could Return the Favor," excerpted below. James A. Parrott, deputy director and chief economist at the Fiscal Policy Institute in New York, criticizes these deals along with officials who don't try to get out of them. [...]
Minimum wage in the news, April-May 2012
May 29, 2012. FPI's analysis and commentary on the minimum wage issue has been highlighted in a number of recent news stories: Report: 880,000 Workers In NY Would Benefit From Higher Minimum Wage - an article by Joseph Spector, Gannett News Service, May 24, 2012. Wage Bill Would Benefit Bronx More than Other Counties, Report Says - an article by Patrick Wall, DNAinfo.com, May 24, 2012. The minimum wage, tax cuts, and the New York legislature - an article by Jeremy Moule, Rochester City Newspaper News Blog, May 22, 2011. Liberals Call for Cuomo to Champion Higher Wage - an [...]
Advocates urge Cuomo to carry through on tax reform commission
May 25, 2012. Tax reform advocacy groups from around the state gathered on May 22 to remind the Governor that he pledged to create a tax reform commission in his State of the State address earlier this year. News coverage: "Omnibus members question Cuomo's tax plans" - a post by Rick Karlin, Albany Times Union Capitol Confidential blog. "Groups Urge Tax Reform" - a post by Joseph Spector, Albany Watch blog. Includes a video of Ron Deutsch of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness talking about the tax reform commission. "Advocates want Gov. Cuomo to create tax reform commission," - an [...]
Editorials: Raise the minimum wage
May 1, 2012. Today the New York Times mentioned FPI in their editorial in favor of increasing the minimim wage. The Albany Times-Union did the same last week. New York on $15,000 a Year - an editorial from the New York Times, May 1, 2012. At a minimum, have a debate - an editorial from the Albany Times Union, April 25, 2012. An excerpt from the Times Union: Here's how a higher minimum wage creates jobs, as economist James Parrott of the Fiscal Policy Institute explained to the Assembly Labor Committee on Monday: Industries that pay such low wages tend [...]
Counterbudget: Putting People First, Budget Issues that Need Attention
March 19, 2012. The Counterbudget was compiled by New Yorkers from Fiscal Fairness with input from FPI and other cooperating organizations. Report and press release.
Groups call on Governor Cuomo to drop transfer language from state budget
March 8, 2012. FPI and 16 other groups delivered a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo today asking him to drop language included hundreds of times in his executive budget proposal for 2012-2013. The language undercuts legislative authority and effectively removes the public from decisions regarding the use of taxpayer money by giving the Governor power to move money between state agencies without oversight. The language goes even further than that, authorizing suballocations from "on budget" state agencies to "off budget" public authorities. Press release >> Letter to Governor >>
Transfer Authority: The Governor and the New York State Budget
February 8, 2012. WBAI Evening News: Andrea Sears of WBAI interviews FPI Executive Director Frank Mauro, about the provision that Governor Cuomo has included in his 2012-2013 State Operations and Capital Projects appropriations bills, proposing to give unprecedented powers to the Governor's Budget Director to redirect funds from many state agency appropriations to other agencies and public authorities, even off-budget public authorities. The interview with Mauro is 6.5 minutes long and starts at 3:28 of this clip from the WBAI Evening News. It follows a related interview with Roger Downs of the Sierra Club.
New York’s Leaders Join the Quest for Tax Fairness
January 12, 2012. Governor Cuomo emphasizes the need to close loopholes. This column by Frank Mauro - excerpt below - was published by 99% New York. Delivering on this objective will require an unbiased review of the litany of tax breaks that have enacted over the years in the name of economic development. Which ones actually create jobs and which ones do not? Which ones should be retained intact, which ones should be repealed, and which ones should be reformed? A year of careful study makes sense for a fundamental restructuring of the tax code but the most egregious loopholes, [...]
Coalition calls on Governor and Legislature to close corporate tax loopholes and level the playing field for small business
January 9, 2012. A coalition of community, labor, student, faith and Occupy organizations gathered to release a list of corporate tax dodgers and to announce their campaign to bring fairness and transparency to New York's corporate tax system. The group, which formed last year to work on the "millionaires tax" and personal income tax reform, is calling on Governor Cuomo and the Legislature to close corporate tax loopholes, thereby raising over one billion dollars for this year's state budget. The additional revenue will help New York to create jobs, create a fairer environment for small business, and prevent devastating budget [...]
Immigrants are the powerhouse that makes New York City work
October 5, 2011. An editorial from the New York Daily News. File this under Things You Probably Could Have Guessed After Just Looking Around: A new study confirms that immigrants are the very economic backbone of New York.
Opinion: Immigrants Are the Lifeblood of New York City – Nearly half of New York City’s small businesses are owned by immigrants
October 5, 2011. Gabe Pressman, NBC News. Read the article.
A Balanced Approach to Closing State Deficits
February 25, 2011. Most states are heading into their fourth year of fiscal crisis facing severe revenue shortfalls that require closing huge deficits. The choices states make about how to close those deficits have serious implications both in the short and long term. States that rely solely or primarily on widespread budget cuts to close deficits are harming residents and businesses that need immediate assistance; they also are reducing demand in the economy and impeding their state's economic recovery. This paper by Iris J. Lav and Dylan Grundman of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities discusses the challenges.
“Fiscal analyst calls NY deficit exaggerated”
January 22, 2011. Newsday's Michael Amon blogs about some telling comments from Frank Mauro with respect to one estimate of the growth in state spending. Spin Cycle: Fiscal analyst calls NY deficit exaggerated.
Proposal to Recapture High End Federal Tax Cut Windfall
December 20, 2010. In the wake of the historic agreement between the President and the Republican Congressional leadership to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest, the New York City Council's Progressive Caucus has developed an interesting proposal. The proposal calls for the state of New York to impose a temporary income tax surcharge to recapture for New York the "windfall" high income New York filers will be receiving. Related: an op-ed by Brad Lander, co-chair of the Progressive Caucus.
Stiglitz calls for a second stimulus at FPI event
October 8, 2010. FPI presented its Frances Perkins Working People's award to Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz at an event in Manhattan on October 7. In his acceptance remarks, Stiglitz made a strong case for additional economic stimulus to put the country firmly on the road to recovery. A good summary of Stiglitz's remarks by Kathy Brady of the New York City Employment and Training Coalition is available in the October 8 edition of NYCETC's newsletter, the NYC Workforce Weekly. Article >>
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 Library Association, New York State Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Fiscal Policy [...]
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.
Property Tax Relief: How Does a Circuit Breaker Work?
April 30, 2010. The New York State Property Tax Reform Coalition explains in plain language. Also see their circuit breaker calculator based on the Galef/Little reform bill. The April 2010 issue of Land Lines, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy's quarterly magazine, has a six-page article devoted to circuit breakers and how they work to relieve property tax burden, including a full page sidebar on "New York's Effort to Provide Targeted Tax Relief." Read the article - Property Tax Relief: The Case for Circuit Breakers >>
Immigrants in Work Force: Study Belies Image
April 15, 2010. Today's New York Times featured an article by Julia Preston based on FPI data together with related materials - data and interviews. Immigrants in Work Force: Study Belies Image. By Julia Preston. Immigrants and Growth graphic. After Their Arrival video and photo interviews with four men and women from across the world and the economic spectrum.