Full-time employment in state government jobs grew by only 1 percent in New York State between 2010-2019, with the number of those employed totaling just over 236,000 in 2019. At the same time, local government employment decreased by 1 percent for full-time employees, with the number of employed totaling just over 882,000 in 2019, down from 893,000 in 2010. Full-time employment losses in both state and local government affected the areas of health, natural resources, and social and public welfare. Employment losses in health and social and public welfare erode our safety net and contribute to racial and ethnic and gender disparities through personnel cuts.1
The coronavirus pandemic laid bare racial, ethnic, and gender inequities. Loss of state and local government jobs can slow economic recovery and further drive employment and income inequities. During FY 2022 budget negotiations, leaders should assess local government funding formulas and prioritize funding to local governments experiencing pandemic-related fiscal stress.2 Preventing further reductions of state and local government jobs is critical to New York State’s pandemic economic recovery.
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1“Cuts to Employment in the State and Local Public Sector will Disproportionately Harm Women and Black Workers,” Fiscal Policy Institute. https://fiscalpolicy.org/cuts-to-employment-in-the-state-and-local-public-sector-will-disproportionately-harm-women-and-black-workers
2In FY 2009, local governments experiencing fiscal stress received an additional $200 million through the Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) Program.
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by Cara Long Corra, Senior Policy Analyst, Fiscal Policy Institute