Economic Development

June 8, 2018. This article by Yancey Roy discusses the demands from government reform groups, FPI included, for the New York State government to create transparency of economic development spending. The groups call for a database of deals and power to be restored to the Comptroller to review contracts. The article goes on to highlight the two corruption trials and that the Senate and Assembly backed the bills during budget negotiation but Governor Cuomo did not and they were dropped. Even with more corruption trials looming, [...]

June 8, 2018. FPI's executive director, Ron Deutsch, and John Kaehny of Reinvent Albany discuss the "database of deals" that would increase transparency of economic development spending on Capital Tonight. The "database of deals" would put all information on economic development spending in one place that is open to the public. The public could see how many jobs are being created and who is getting tax breaks. Also discussed is restoring the power to the Comptroller to review state contracts. For the full interview, go [...]

June 8, 2018. Government reform groups are urging the New York State Assembly to pass two bills that have already been approved in the Senate that would reform New York’s economic development programs. Ron Deutsch, with Fiscal Policy Institute, says the measures would increase transparency by creating a database of deals, listing details of all economic development projects that receive taxpayer money. Another bill would restore the state comptroller’s authority to independently review the projects. Deutsch, making a football analogy, says the bill to restore the [...]

June 8, 2018. This article discusses the actions of government groups to encourage the state to make changes to economic development policy in order to increase transparency. They argue it is needed because of corruption trials related to economic development projects. They are calling for a database of deals and for the power of the Comptroller to review projects to be restored. The article notes that the Senate has passed these bills and they are waiting for the Assembly to do the same. The article [...]

June 7, 2018. This article discusses the recently passed package of bills aimed at shedding light on taxpayer-funded economic development projects, among other reform measures. Good government watchdog groups including the Fiscal Policy Institute and Reinvent Albany have long supported economic development accountability reform, particularly in light of multiple scandals related to economic development projects. A number of advocacy and watchdog groups are organizing a final push for the “database of deals” and clean-contracting legislation, including a rally calling on Heastie to advance the bills [...]

May 10, 2018. The Republican-led New York State Senate passed a slew of government transparency and accountability bills on Wednesday that further highlighted the GOP majority’s recent split with the governor. The package of 11 bills covered everything from campaign contributions to state contracting processes including a Database of Deals for economic development projects. The Fiscal Policy Institute has long supported government transparency and accountability, especially in regards to New York's out-of-control economic development spending, and is pleased that the New York State Senate has passed [...]

April 4, 2018. This article discusses the exclusion of any accountability measures in Governor Cuomo’s state budget in regards to economic development funding. A close-aide to Cuomo was convicted last year of accepting bribes and using his influence to direct government contracts. Adovocates were calling for a database of deals to increase transparency and to reinstate the power to the New York State Comptroller. Instead of accountability and transparency, Cuomo included pay raises for lawmakers. The conviction of a former close aide to Governor Andrew [...]

March 13, 2018. Activists are pushing for legislative action to bring more transparency to the subsidies that the State gives to businesses. We heard more on the push from Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, and John Kaehny, Executive Director of Reinvent Albany. Access to Podcast HERE.

February 15, 2018. As Amazon nears a decision on the location for its second headquarters, it's weighing a number of factors about each city: access to transit systems, the size and makeup of the local workforce, available real estate and tax breaks. Among the offers that have become public: Newark, New Jersey, has floated $7 billion in incentives. Chicago would reportedly kick in at least $2 billion. And Maryland has put more than $5 billion on the table for its Montgomery County contender.  All of [...]

By John Kaehny, Commentary More information: John Kaehny is Executive Director of Reinvent Albany. Also contributing to this article were Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, and Dave Friedfel, Director of State Studies for the Citizens Budget Commission. Albany Times Union, Published 6:00 pm, Tuesday, April 18, 2017 Last week, the state Legislature approved Gov. Andrew Cuomo's request to spend about $6.5 billion on a grab bag of economic development projects and business tax breaks — more than three times what the [...]

Inconsistent record-keeping, poor follow-up seen in state, local subsidy programs By Masako Melissa Hirsch and Charlotte Keith | on March 29, 2017 State and local economic development agencies in New York give away billions of dollars in subsidies to businesses every year but do little to assess what taxpayers are getting for their money. "What politician doesn't want to stand there with a shovel in their hand and a hard hat on their head to announce new jobs coming to their district?" said Ron Deutsch, [...]