Blog

FPI Estimates Human & Economic Impacts of Public Charge Rule: 24 Million Would Experience Chilling Effects

October 10, 2018. Today, the Trump Administration published its proposed reinterpretation of a previously arcane rule, known as “public charge.” The new interpretation would radically restrict access to green cards and various types of visas for immigrants who do not have a high enough income, or who have used public health, food, or housing supports they are otherwise qualified to receive. Without input from Congress, the Trump Rule would fundamentally change this country’s approach to immigration, making income and use of public supports central considerations [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T12:24:59-05:00October 10th, 2018|Blog, Migration|

Anchor Institutions: Refugee Resettlement Agencies

September 11, 2018. The Trump administration’s decision to decrease the number of refugees admitted and in general slow down the refugee resettlement process means that only a trickle of refugees are coming into the United States. As FPI noted in our recent reporton refugee employment, the United States is on track to resettle just 20,000 refugees in 2018, down from 97,000 in 2016. This is a tragedy for refugees, who languish in resettlement camps or live in horrific danger. For the United States, it is also [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T12:22:17-05:00September 11th, 2018|Blog|

New Wave of Refugee Research: An Emerging Consensus

July 30, 2018. For many decades, refugees were not at the center of attention in immigration debates. Refugee resettlement was viewed as a duty to the United States that we handled quietly and with pride. There were debates about how to handle border enforcement, interior enforcement, visas for farm workers, visas for high-skilled workers, and of course constant wrestling about a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Refugee resettlement, never a big share of overall immigration, was seen as a humanitarian imperative. Today, that looks [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T12:14:30-05:00July 30th, 2018|Blog|

Interview: Rethinking the Property Tax Cap

July 20, 2018. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities recently released a new report on property tax restrictions which concluded that state limits on property taxes should be relaxed or repealed because they make it more difficult for localities to provide services. Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, joins Michael Leachman from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities on Capital Tonight on Spectrum News in discussing how property taxes are unable to keep up with the rising costs of services [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T12:12:32-05:00July 20th, 2018|Blog, Tax Policy|

Brief- Ranked Choice Voting: Saving Money While Improving Elections

Ranked Choice Voting: Saving Money While Improving Elections June 28, 2018. The New York City Charter Review Commission is currently reviewing several proposals for changes to the charter. The proposal for ranked choice voting, also known as instant runoff voting, has garnered a good deal of enthusiasm around the city, but some questions have been raised about what the cost of such a system might be. The Fiscal Policy Institute examined this question, and our conclusion is that there would be a net savings, not [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T13:13:31-05:00June 28th, 2018|Blog, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|

Op-Ed: Don’t Jump After Janus: Why Public Workers Should Stick With Their Unions

June 28, 2018. The following op-ed about the Supreme Court ruling on Janus vs. AFSCME written by FPI's senior economist, Brent Kramer; deputy director, David Kallick; and chief economist, Jonas Shaende, was featured in the NY Daily News. The recent Supreme Court ruling in Janus vs. AFSCME poses a real threat to public sector unions. Traditionally, in New York — as in many other states — everyone covered by a union contract was required to pay either dues or an “agency fee” to support the union’s [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T11:57:45-05:00June 28th, 2018|Blog, Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce|

Brief: Strong Public Employees’ Unions in New York: Better Pay, Benefits, and Working Conditions for All

June 27, 2018. By: Brent Kramer, David Dyssegaard Kallick, and Jonas Shaende The Supreme Court’s ruling today about public sector unions puts a significant new barrier in front of unions around the country. Traditionally, in New York—as in many other states—everyone covered by a union contract was required to pay either dues or an “agency fee” to support the union’s work on behalf of all employees. In the Janus decision, the Supreme Court ruled that public-sector employees can’t be compelled to pay for the union’s [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T11:57:06-05:00June 27th, 2018|Blog, Economic Trends & Policy, Labor Market & Workforce, Reports, Briefs and Presentations|

FPI joins Government and Budget Watchdogs to Call on Assembly Speaker Heastie to Allow Vote on Database of Deals and Comptroller’s Procurement Integrity Act

June 18, 2018. The Fiscal Policy Institute joined Citizens Budget Commission, Citizens Union, Common Cause NY, and Reinvent Albany in front of the Federal Courthouse in Manhattan to call on Assembly Speaker Heastie to Allow a vote on the Database of Deals and Comptroller’s Procurement Integrity Act. FPI’s Chief Economist, Jonas Shaende gave the following remarks during the press conference this afternoon, “The lack of transparency and proper oversight enables corruption as is evidenced by these massive criminal trials. The public should know where and [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T11:54:12-05:00June 21st, 2018|Blog, Economic Trends & Policy|

Cynthia Nixon Aims to Tax Wealthy to Pay for $7 Billion Education Plan

June 13, 2018. This article discusses how gubernatorial candidate, Cynthia Nixon, plans to raise taxes on high-earners and businesses to pay for her $7.4 billion education plan to expand access to college and boost spending on K-12 education. Multiple organizations, including the Fiscal Policy Institute, commented on her plans to raise taxes to pay for expanding education and mass transit throughout the state. Jonas Shaende, chief economist at the left-leaning Fiscal Policy Institute, said he supported efforts to find more revenues through taxes on the [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T11:51:10-05:00June 13th, 2018|Blog, Economic Outlook|

In Albany, Nixon backs tax cap, but has plan to ease override procedure

June 8, 2018. This articles discusses how gubernatorial candidate, Cynthia Nixon, expressed her support for the two percent property tax cap and that overriding it should be easier if residents of a school district want to exceed that cap during an Albany meeting with school superintendents. Multiple organizations, including the Fiscal Policy Institute, weighed in during the meeting about the impact of tax cuts. Before Nixon arrived, superintendents heard from state finance experts Frank Mauro and E.J. McMahon on how the Republican/Trump tax cuts may [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T11:50:33-05:00June 11th, 2018|Blog, Tax Policy|

Legislative Briefing: Supporting New York’s Local Governments

May 22, 2018 Empire State Plaza, Meeting Room 4, Albany, NY This legislative briefing will address the problem of fiscal stress among New York’s local governments and the role the State Legislature can play in addressing these challenges. What can NY learn from other states? What does the in depth research on NYS show? We are seeing important shifts in intergovernmental relations, most recently with the Federal tax reform on SALT. How can NY best respond to these challenges? Come share in a discussion of [...]

Anthony Troia2021-01-06T11:37:38-05:00May 9th, 2018|Blog, Economic Outlook, Economic Trends & Policy|

Claw-Back Tax Rally on Wall Street and Beyond

March 20, 2018. On March 9th a protest was held on Wall Street demanding that corporations either pay their workers or pay their fair share of taxes. FPI joined the rally, where ordinary tax payers, elected officials, community organizations and labor unions called for a 0.5% New York State tax on stock buyback trades, which would mean corporations using their federal tax cuts simply to benefit their shareholders would have to pay a small New York State tax on the buyback. The tax is estimated [...]

Anthony Troia2018-03-20T12:35:27-04:00March 20th, 2018|Blog, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|