Advocates Decry Mid-Year Budget Cuts in Governor’s Deficit Reduction Plan
November 5, 2009. FPI, New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, and a diverse group of statewide organizations joined forces to publicize the harmful impact of many of the governor's proposed cuts, and to urge the Legislature to look at less painful alternatives. Group press release >>
Property Tax Relief for New Yorkers
October 19, 2009. At a public forum hosted by Assemblyman Marcus Molinaro in Hopewell Junction, Frank Mauro of the Fiscal Policy Institute discussed the workings of New York State's current property tax system, and John Whiteley of the New York State Property Tax Reform Coalition discussed property tax relief and reform options for New York State. Watch the video >>
EPI updates Issue Guide on Minimum Wage
July 21, 2009. The Economic Policy Institute has released an updated Minimum Wage Issue Guide. Also see Key EPI publications and other minimum wage resources.
Federal Fiscal Relief Is Working as Intended: The Cases of New York and Virginia
May 26, 2009. A new study from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities profiles the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in New York and Virginia. The experience of these two states suggests that the state fiscal assistance in the economic recovery legislation is having its intended effect: enabling states to balance their budgets with fewer cuts in public services that would harm residents and further slow the economy. The study is part of a special series of reports, Economic Recovery Watch.
Omnibus Consortium Works to Advance Circuit Breaker and Promote Real Property Tax Reform
April 22, 2009. The Omnibus Consortium (www.omnibustaxsolution.org) joined today with Senator Liz Krueger in support of her reform bill S.4239, calling for action by end of session. Press release >>
Groups Support Governor Paterson’s Proposal to Eliminate the STAR Rebate Checks
March 27, 2009. The Omnibus Consortium (www.omnibustaxsolution.org) held a video press conference today to urge that this flawed program be replaced with a meaningful circuit breaker. Group press release >>
Nobel Economist: Millionaires’ Tax Is Economically Preferable
January 2009. In a March 27, 2008 letter to Governor Paterson, Majority Leader Bruno and Speaker Silver, Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz makes a compelling case that the millionaires' tax is "economically preferable" to raising regressive fees or cutting state spending. Also see: Voters Support Income Tax on Those Making $250K or More to Replace Budget Cuts, a Siena Research Institute poll released January 26, 2009 Closing state deficit requires prudence, by former budget director Dall Forsythe and Shanna Rose (Albany Times Union, December 10, 2008) How Not to Deal with the Oncoming Depression: The Case of New York State, by [...]
Improving New York: Funding Public Higher Education
January 25, 2009. Peter Pollak of empirepage.com interviews David Dyssegaard Kallick.
Economists to Governor: Raise High-End Income Taxes To Help Close Budget Gaps
December 13, 2008. 120 economists from throughout New York State joined together this week to send a message to Albany: steep cuts in state spending will weaken the already struggling New York economy, and will hurt poor and middle income New Yorkers. In a letter to the governor, the economists urge him to take a balanced approach to closing the gap in the state budget between revenues and spending - an approach that includes raising taxes on high-income households.
Opinion in the Albany Times Union
The Times Union has provided a forum for opinion pieces from various sources: September 7, 2008. A taxing solution: A tax cap forces Mass. towns to think about spending, by Richard P. Tisei, leader of the Republican minority in the Massachusetts Senate, and Bay State's Proposition 2½ not without difficulties, by Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. July 20, 2008. A point/counterpoint pair of op eds on the proposed tax cap: Cap pressures government, not residents, to perform, by John J. Faso, former gubernatorial candidate, and Circuit breaker the best way to limit property tax impact, by [...]
Déjà Vu All Over Again – Budget Balancing in Bad Times
August 14, 2008. Raising Revenue Needs to be Part of the Solution. Group press release >> "The lessons to be learned from New York’s fiscal policy choices during the last two recessions are clear. The balanced approach to the state’s budget that was adopted in 2003 worked much better than the deep service cuts of the early 1990s which prolonged and deepened the effects of that recession on New York State," said Frank Mauro, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute.
Siena New York Poll: Circuit Breaker & Gas Tax Cut Top Property Tax Cap
July 14, 2008. While New York voters strongly support both a property tax cap and a property tax "circuit breaker," which ensures that property taxes do not exceed a certain percentage of a homeowner's income, when forced to choose between the two, a majority prefer the circuit breaker, according to a new Siena (College) Research Institute poll a new Siena Research Institute poll released today. More voters would rather see New York eliminate 32 cents of state gas taxes than cap property tax increases. "New Yorkers overwhelmingly want tax relief. Property tax cap to limit increases? Yes, 69 percent. Circuit [...]
Education policy experts weigh in on tax caps
July 14, 2008. A collection of materials from researchers and stakeholders, including the Council of School Superintendents and the PTA. It's Elementary, a monthly column by John Yinger, director of the Education Finance and Accountability Program and professor, Syracuse University's Maxwell School. See especially: Why a Property Tax Cap Is a Bad Idea for New York (June 2008) The Preliminary Report of the New York Commission on Property Tax Relief (May 2008) Reform in New York State's Education Aid Formula? (April 2008) Materials from the New York State Council of School Superintendents. NYS School Superintendents warn property tax cap will [...]
Materials from TREND – Tax Reform Effort of Northern Dutchess
June 23, 2008. TREND NY Poll Says New Yorkers Prefer Circuit Breaker over Cap. The Tax Reform Effort of Northern Dutchess conducted a random automated phone survey of more than 500 registered voters, and found that New Yorkers prefer a property tax circuit breaker to a property tax cap two to one. March 6, 2008. Presentations from Changing the Property Tax System in New York, a conference sponsored by TREND in Hyde Park. Property Tax Caps: What We Can Learn From Other States by Robert McKeon of TREND Circuit Breakers: A Safety Measure to Prevent a Dangerous Overload by John [...]
Broad-based coalition unites to oppose arbitrary property tax cap
June 10, 2008. In a joint press release, representatives of a diverse group of organizations summarized the key shortcomings of property tax caps like the proposal advanced by Gov. David Paterson. The coalition members argued that New York needs property tax relief, but that an artificial cap would harm educational programs and doom efforts to close the achievement gap. Read the release >>
The economics of tax reform
May 1, 2008. Executive director Frank Mauro spoke at a meeting of the Ulster County Legislature's Blue Ribbon Commission on School Funding and Tax Reform in New Paltz. News articles: Property tax burden takes center stage in speech by fiscal expert (May 3, Kingston Daily Freeman); The problem with property taxes discussed (May 2, Mid-Hudson News). Radio: Listen to MP3 (May 1, WAMC).
Meeting of the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief – Syracuse
April 10, 2008. FPI executive director Frank Mauro spoke at the meeting of the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief. Transcript (starting on page 7).
Over 100 Organizations Call for the Millionaires’ Tax
March 26, 2008. More than 100 organizations came together as the Better Choice Budget Campaign (of which FPI is a member) to urge leaders to listen to the public and support the millionaires' tax. Additional materials from the press conference: op ed on better choices by Ron Deutsch; Siena poll showing overwhelming public support for millionaires' tax (question 23); and fact sheet from New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness laying out short and long term solutions to burgeoning property taxes. Also, the new Tough Times radio ad from New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness - blogged by Liz Benjamin. Better Choice Budget [...]
Impact of a budget veto on New Yorkers’ vital human needs
October 31, 2007. FPI senior economist Trudi Renwick participated in a telephone press conference organized by Citizen Action and the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities to illustrate the impact of a budget veto on New Yorkers' vital human needs. Read ECAP's press release.
Groups Call for Reform of Business Subsidy Programs
July 11, 2007. FPI teamed up with New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, Environmental Advocates, NYPIRG and the Sierra Club to call attention to the taxpayer funds being poured into Empire Zones, the Brownfield Cleanup Program, and industrial development agencies - business subsidy programs that lack basic accountability measures and anti-sprawl provisions. Group press release >>
Statewide Coalition Joins Assemblyman Brodsky to Call for an Immediate Moratorium on the Empire Zone Program
June 7, 2007. At a press conference focused on reforms of the Empire Zone program, FPI executive director Frank Mauro spoke about the differential tax treatment that is fostered by the program as currently structured. Group press release >>