Tax & Budget

Fiscal Policy Institute Reacts to Governor Cuomo’s State of the State Address

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 8, 2020 Media Contact: communications@fiscalpolicy.org, 518-786-3156 Fiscal Policy Institute Reacts to Governor Cuomo's State of the State Address FPI Agrees that New Yorkers Deserve Results, Not Rhetoric Statement from Ron Deutsch, Executive Director, Fiscal Policy Institute “Governor Cuomo is right that New Yorkers deserve results, not rhetoric. While our state economy booms, we continue to be short-changed by austerity budgeting. Missing from the governor’s State of the State address is clarity on closing the budget gap and meeting our state’s pressing needs. The [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:38-05:00January 8th, 2020|Press Releases, State Budget|

The New York State Budget Must Support All New Yorkers.

January 6, 2020 As the New York State legislative session begins with the state facing a multi-billion-dollar state budget deficit, the question is clear—what kind of New York do we want and how will we get there?  The Fiscal Policy Institute (FPI) urges Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie to choose sound economic and social policies that promote growth and development for the many rather than the few so that all New Yorkers have an equal chance at opportunity. FPI knows that we can craft [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:38-05:00January 6th, 2020|Press Releases, State Budget|

Tax Justice NY and the Unequal State of NY in the News

December 10, 2019 Heading toward New York State's 2020 legislative session, with concern rising over a projected budget deficit and the needs of residents, FPI held an event exploring the issue and released a report that revealing that our state leads the nation as having the most unequal distribution of income. Not since the so called “gilded age” of the 1920’s has there been such a vast divide between the highest- and lowest-income New Yorkers. The report finds that the top 1% of all New [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:38-05:00December 10th, 2019|FPI in the News, Tax Policy|

Media Roundup: Working Families Tax Relief Act

More than 6.5 million New York State residents would directly benefit from the Working Families Tax Relief Act (WFTRA) which would provide tax credits and tax reductions to struggling workers and their families. WFTRA would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for families with children and strengthen it for workers not raising children. The legislation would also make the Child Tax Credit (CTC) refundable, allowing children in families with lower incomes to fully benefit from the program. Learn more by reading two op-eds which ran [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:39-05:00October 20th, 2019|FPI in the News, Tax & Budget|

Our Federal Tax Policy Can Strengthen NYS Communities

We can use federal tax policy to help struggling New Yorkers and support local communities with the Working Families Tax Relief Act (WFTRA). More than 6.5 million New York State residents would directly benefit from WFTRA's tax credits and tax reductions to boost incomes - especially helpful as most workers have seen their wages stagnate. WFTRA would expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for families with children and strengthen it for workers not raising children. The legislation would also make the Child Tax Credit (CTC) [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:39-05:00August 31st, 2019|Blog, Tax & Budget|

Legislators & Advocates Call for Working Family Tax Credits to Fight Childhood Poverty

On many levels, New York is an affluent state with high median incomes, quality schools, and prosperous corporations, but as the United Way reports, 45 percent of households in NYS cannot afford basic necessities. As evidenced by the United Way of New York’s comprehensive, data-driven ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report, relying on the federal poverty guidelines is a poor measure – it is clear that while struggling working families may be above the poverty line, they are far from secure. On May 30th, [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:39-05:00May 30th, 2019|Blog, Tax Policy|

Press Release: Legislators & Advocates Call for Working Family Tax Credits to Fight Childhood Poverty

Strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Credit Boosts New York’s Working Families PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release: May 30, 2019 Contact: Dede Hill, Director of Policy, Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy (518) 879-6616 / dhill@scaany.org Pete Nabozny, The Children’s Agenda (518) 929-1264 / pete@thechildrensagenda.org Legislators & Advocates Call for Working Family Tax Credits to Fight Childhood Poverty Strengthening the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Credit Boosts New York’s Working Families (Albany, NY) On many levels, New York is an [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:39-05:00May 30th, 2019|Press Releases, Tax Policy|

New York Budget Passes With Mansion Tax Hike In Tow

April 3, 2019. This article discusses the disappointment that advocates expressed when the New York State 2020 fiscal year budget was passed and it did not include a pied-a-terre tax, that would have implemented a recurring tax on non-primary residences that were worth more than $5 million. The author goes on to highlight that although a pied-a-terre tax was not included, a "mansion" tax, which will implement a one-time tax on residences sold for more than $25 million and a real estate transfer fee was included. [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:41-05:00April 3rd, 2019|FPI in the News, State Budget|

In Our Opinion: Cuomo Wrong to OK His Own Hike in Salary

April 3, 2019. This op-ed discusses the opposition to the governor and lieutenant governor's pay raises included in New York State's 2020 fiscal year budget. The author notes that Governor Cuomo received a 40 percent pay raise and will be the highest paid chief executive by 2021. The author goes on to discuss how the pay raise was included in the budget despite funding for library construction and the Special Olympics being cut. Once again, the state budget was passed on time — but just barely. [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:41-05:00April 3rd, 2019|FPI in the News, State Budget|

Cuomo Scores Big Pay Hike in State Budget Package

April 2, 2019. This article discusses the controversy surrounding Governor Cuomo's pay increase to $250,000 compared to the average salary of all governor's at $179,000. The author goes on to highlight that even though the governor got a pay increase, funding was cut for library construction and the Special Olympics in New York State. The article quotes FPI's executive director, Ron Deutsch, who points out that human service workers are severely underpaid. The author goes on to quote many advocates who are opposed to the [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:41-05:00April 2nd, 2019|FPI in the News, State Budget|

N.Y. Had a Plan for a ‘Pied-à-Terre’ Tax on Expensive Homes. The Real Estate Industry Stopped It

April 2, 2019. This article discusses New York State lawmakers' opposition to a pied-a-tierre tax and their support for a real estate transfer tax. The article goes on to discuss lobbyists who argued that a pied-a-tierre tax would cause the high-end market to collapse due to the recurring surcharge. According to the article, lawmakers want to implement a real estate transfer tax that would require a one-time fee on all real estate transactions over $3 million. When state leaders rallied this month behind a proposal to tax [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:41-05:00April 2nd, 2019|FPI in the News, Tax Policy|

Transferring To a Real Estate Transfer Tax

April 2, 2019.This article discusses New York State lawmakers' reluctance to implement a pied-a-terre tax and preference for a real estate transfer tax on high value sales instead. The author notes that the pied-a-terre tax was proposed as a way to generate revenue to help fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City. The article goes on to discuss that lawmakers plan to target the same people with a real estate transfer tax, specifically those with condos and co-ops valued at over $5 million. According [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:41-05:00April 2nd, 2019|FPI in the News, Tax Policy|

NY Weighs a Real Estate Tax as Pied-A-Terre Tax Hits a Roadblock

April 2, 2019. This article discusses the proposed pied-a-terre tax in New York State that would generate revenue to help fund the transportation system in New York City by taxing out-of-state apartment owners in Manhattan. The article highlights that lawmakers are proposing a real-estate transfer tax on all high-end sales, in place of a pied-a-terre tax, to avoid challenges with revenue becoming entangled with foreign ownership rights. The article quotes FPI's executive director, Ron Deutsch, who suggests that the state should consider a combination of a pied-a-terre [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:41-05:00April 2nd, 2019|FPI in the News, Tax Policy|

Fiscal Policy Institute Response to the 2019-2020 Adopted Budget

Fiscal Policy Institute Response to the 2019-2020 Adopted Budget Read FPI's comprehensive overview of the NYS budget. Revenues This year’s budget raises revenues from a number of different areas, and does so through a number of well-founded approaches. The Fiscal Policy Institute supports the newly enacted luxury real estate tax, which makes property taxes more progressive. We support congestion pricing, which will raise needed revenues for the transit system while reducing traffic in Manhattan. And we support the collection of sales tax from internet marketplace [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:41-05:00April 1st, 2019|Press Releases, State Budget|

Fiscal Policy Institute Releases Analysis in Support of Proposed Pied-à-Terre Tax

For Immediate Release: March 26, 2019 Media Contact: communications@fiscalpolicy.org, 518-786-3156 Fiscal Policy Institute Releases Analysis in Support of Proposed Pied-à-Terre Tax Report and Analysis here. A PIED-À-TERRE TAX IS A TAX ON HIGH-VALUE LUXURY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY that is not used by its owners as a primary residence. This type of tax has become increasingly common around the world as a way to ensure that wealthy non-residents pay their fair share of local taxes, and as a way to re-orient the local real estate market around housing [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:24:42-05:00March 26th, 2019|Press Releases, Tax Policy|