Tax Policy

One Year Into Pandemic, Thousands Of Excluded Workers Are Still Begging For Relief

This Gothamist article tells the personal story of an excluded worker and the on-going efforts in New York State to create an excluded worker fund. Excluded workers are those who have lost work due to COVID, but have been excluded from any federal or state relief (federal stimulus or state unemployment due to their immigration status or recent incarceration. “The need is urgent,” said David Dyssegaard Kallick, director of the Fiscal Policy Institute’s Immigration Research Initiative. “Unemployment insurance has been a lifesaver to so many [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:21-04:00March 19th, 2021|FPI in the News, Migration, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

Report Finds $3.5B Needed for Aiding Excluded Workers During Pandemic

The New York State Senate and Assembly both supported creating a fund to provide unemployment insurance to workers who are excluded from the unemployment insurance system, primarily undocumented immigrants and people leaving incarceration during the Covid-19 pandemic. Both houses included $2.1 billion in their one-house budgets. The report shows that while $2.1 billion is an impressive signal from the legislature, $3.5 billion is the amount that is needed to match the minimum benefits other workers receive and to continue that aid through the end of [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:21-04:00March 18th, 2021|FPI in the News, Migration, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

Unemployment Compensation for Excluded Workers: $3.5 Billion Needed for 2020 and 2021

The New York State Assembly and Senate both support creating a fund to provide unemployment insurance to workers who are excluded from the unemployment insurance system, primarily undocumented immigrants and people leaving incarceration during the Covid-19 pandemic. Both houses included $2.1 billion in their one-house budgets this week, the starting points for negotiating the final state budget. This is an impressive commitment to a critical priority. However, matching the minimum level of benefits that other unemployed New Yorkers receive and extending the aid through the [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:21-04:00March 17th, 2021|Blog, Migration, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

“Legislature Supports $2.1 Billion in Aid to Excluded Workers; Report Shows $3.5 is Needed”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2021 Media Contact: communications@fiscalpolicy.org, 518-786-3156 “Legislature Supports $2.1 Billion in Aid to Excluded Workers; Report Shows $3.5 is Needed” Read FPI’s report: Unemployment Compensation for Excluded Workers: $3.5 Billion Needed for 2020 and 2021 (Albany, NY) – New York State may be on the brink of providing unemployment benefits to workers who are currently excluded from the state’s unemployment insurance fund. The New York State Assembly and Senate both support a fund of $2.1 billion to extend benefits to undocumented [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:21-04:00March 17th, 2021|Migration, Press Releases, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

New York lawmakers propose tax increases on the rich. Here’s who would pay up

The New York State Senate passed its one-house budget resolution which includes raising the tax rate on those earning over $1 million a year. The Assembly supports this tax reform as well. "Big challenges require bold action and demand a combination of transformative vision and concrete commonsense response," said Jonas Shaende, chief economist for the Fiscal Policy Institute, a liberal think tank in Albany. "The Legislature’s proposals show their willingness to consider a broad array of measures to ensure New Yorkers’ health and well-being." Read the Gannett article which appears in lohud and [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:22-04:00March 16th, 2021|Economic Trends & Policy, FPI in the News, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

Tax opponents wonder if they still can count on Gov. Cuomo

As the state budget process progresses, both houses released their one-house budget proposals which include increased taxes for top earners and corporations. Critics contend these tax reforms are not needed due to federal aid. Advocates point out the long-standing need for tax reform to set the state on the right course. "The legislature’s proposals recognize the need for support to ensure all New Yorkers can live, work, access health care, and receive a sound education," the labor-backed Fiscal Policy Institute said. Read the Newsday article [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:22-04:00March 16th, 2021|Economic Trends & Policy, FPI in the News, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

Fiscal Policy Institute on One-House Budgets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2021 Media Contact: communications@fiscalpolicy.org, 518-786-3156 Fiscal Policy Institute on One-House Budgets (Albany, NY) Today the New York State Senate and Assembly released their one-house budgets as New York continues grappling with the pandemic. With the annual April 1st deadline fast approaching, today’s action sustains hope for a responsive budget process that can meet all New Yorkers’ needs. The Legislature’s proposals recognize the need for support to ensure all New Yorkers can live, work, access health care, and receive a sound education. With [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:22-04:00March 15th, 2021|Press Releases, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

EITC Helps Workers, Their Families, Communities and the State

Our state’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a proven program that working New Yorkers rely on. The EITC keeps more money in workers’ pockets, providing more money to spend on essentials like food, transportation, housing, education, and child care. The EITC provides critical support for workers, their families, local economies, and the state! Before the pandemic, far too many New Yorkers were unable to earn a stable and sufficient income through work. This problem persisted despite the recent increases to our state’s minimum wage. [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:23-04:00March 4th, 2021|Blog, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

Public Testimony Integral to New York’s State Budget Process

New York State’s constitution requires the governor to provide the state legislature with a yearly balanced budget proposal including the necessary appropriation bills and legislation. The Legislature reviews the proposed executive budget and offers changes or modifications and enacts the state budget. As is customary, Governor Cuomo presented his proposed Executive Budget for FY 21-22 in January which was followed by a review and analysis from both legislative houses. The Assembly Ways and Means Committee’s Review and Analysis of the 2021-22 Executive Budget is known [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:23-04:00February 23rd, 2021|Blog, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy, Testimony|

Memo of Support: S.537/A.2533 (EITC)

Memorandum of Support S.537 (Kaplan)/A.2533 (Fahy) Provides for the advance payment of the earned income tax credit to qualifying employees. The Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) supports S.537/A.2533 to help create a more equitable state tax code for working New Yorkers. This legislation would update New York State’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to address the economic needs of New York State residents who work part-time and who work for low wages. Throughout the state, hundreds of thousands of workers are unable to claim the credit due to exclusions in the [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:23-04:00February 10th, 2021|Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

New York’s Pandemic State Budget: Recovering and Reimagining

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 10, 2021 Media Contact: communications@fiscalpolicy.org, 518-786-3156 ***VIDEO link below*** New York's Pandemic State Budget: Recovering and Reimagining Fiscal Policy Institute's Recommendations for the FY 2022 State Budget Read the report: "Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2022: New York Recovering and Reimagining" Watch the video: Fiscal Policy Institute's Annual State Budget Presentation 2021 (Albany, NY) Today the Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) released a 30-minute video highlighting its report "New York State's Pandemic Budget: Recovering and Reimagining." FPI urges a bold vision in crafting the FY [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:23-04:00February 9th, 2021|Must Read, Press Releases, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, State Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy|

FPI’s Presentation on the Proposed Executive Budget for FY 2022

Our state budget helps determine the future for every New Yorker. This year the stakes are exceptionally high as the pandemic continues to imperil our health and financial well-being. Will the choices we make crafting our state budget reduce inequality, or will the gap continue to widen? FPI took a look at the proposed New York State Executive Budget and offered actions to create a more just New York for all. Watch our 30-minute video overview and read the report "Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2022: New York Recovering and Reimagining" to learn more. [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:23-04:00February 8th, 2021|Must Read, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, State Budget, Tax Policy|

Tax Revenue Keeps States Running

December 21, 2020 New York, like every other state, relies on tax revenue to provide stable funding for necessary public services. The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly damaging to the state and local governments’ budgets as the necessary mitigation measures have continued to curtail business activity, which in turn depressed tax revenues. Among the most impacted industries are hospitality, tourism, and leisure sectors that employ many low-skilled and immigrant workers. When many workers permanently lose their jobs, the impact is both local and statewide. As [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:24-04:00December 20th, 2020|Blog, Tax Policy|

Generating State Revenue Essential for Post-Pandemic Recovery

Billionaire Mark-to-Market Tax Can Raise Over $5.5 Billion To Help Keep New York State Running New York can and must do more to address its budget crisis than wait for federal relief. While the economy has taken a hit, the state can raise enough tax revenue to avoid catastrophic budget cuts—to education, health care, and other crucial services—and add new programs to combat the coronavirus recession by helping those most in need. The Fiscal Policy Institute’s latest report explains how a new type of tax [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:26-04:00August 12th, 2020|Must Read, Press Releases, Tax Policy|

Memo of Support: The Billionaire Mark-to-Market Tax Act

The Fiscal Policy Institute strongly supports the Billionaire Mark-to-Market Tax Act (S8277/A10414) that is expected to raise additional revenue for New York State to be used for multiple purposes, including supporting a fund that would provide weekly financial assistance to workers otherwise excluded from New York State Unemployment Insurance. Download the PDF.

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:27-04:00July 22nd, 2020|Letters, Migration, Tax Policy|