New York City Economic and Fiscal Monitoring

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New York City Economic and Fiscal Monitoring

The Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for the City of New York monitors New York City's fiscal condition, assists the New York State Financial Control Board, and regularly reports on the City's financial plans, major budgetary and policy issues; economic and economic development trends, and budgetary and policy issues affecting public authorities in the region, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. For questions, contact us at [email protected].

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Featured Dashboards

A view of buildings in New York City

New York City Industry Sector Dashboards

Monthly updates track the City’s economic recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic hit New York City particularly hard, causing massive job losses at major employers such as restaurants, hotels and retail stores. These dashboards follow a series of reports released over the past two years tracking economic data and the effect of the pandemic on these critical sectors and will help identify areas of weakness as well as positive developments.

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Sector

Construction Sector

Office Sector

Restaurant Sector

Retail Sector

Securities Sector

Tourism Sector

Transportation and Warehousing Sector

Urban setting view of busy midtown district on Manhattan with tall building and busy traffic on roads

Review of the Financial Plan of the City of New York

Increasing Reserves Would Help City Prepare for Mounting Fiscal Risks

Stronger-than-anticipated revenue and savings initiatives will allow New York City to maintain budget balance in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, but the City faces significant financial pressures that are likely to exacerbate already large out-year budget gaps. Budget balance in FY 2024 comes as the City is returning to a revenue composition that more closely resembles pre-pandemic norms, moving away from reliance on federal relief aid.

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An MTA subway platform.

Annual Update: Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Debt Profile

New State Funds Give MTA a Chance to End Its Ongoing Fiscal Crisis

Escalating debt service costs have long been a source of financial pressure at the MTA. The pandemic exacerbated these pressures causing ridership to drop and tax revenues to dry up. However, new sources of recurring revenue in the enacted State budget and other aid give the MTA an opportunity to ease the pressure that growing debt places on its operations and to stabilize its future finances.

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A mother working from home while a child tries to get her attention.

New York City’s Uneven Recovery: Mothers in the Workforce

Economic and Policy Insights

The unemployment rate for mothers in New York City has improved but it remains higher than it was prior to the pandemic. In 2022, 5.7% of City moms in the workforce were unemployed compared to 3.4% nationally. Black mothers in the City are the hardest hit, facing an unemployment rate of 9%. Some mothers in the City appear to be looking for flexible options outside full-time work, especially compared to the rest of the State and the nation.

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A hospital hallway.

NYC Health + Hospitals: Nurse Staffing Trends

H+H Struggles With Temporary Staffing Costs

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing staffing pressures, particularly a shortage of staff nurses, in NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H) facilities, leading to an increased reliance on temporary nurses and higher staffing costs. This report includes a trend analysis of nurses in New York City and the rest of the State, challenges to hire more staff nurses nationwide and the experience of H+H nurse staffing during this time.

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Tourists in Times Square in New York City

NYC Taxable Sales and Purchases: Resilient Amid Economic Uncertainty

Sales Tax Collections Strong Due to Tourism and Commuter Return

As New York City’s overall taxable sales begin to normalize from their pandemic-fueled levels, various economic sectors, most notably leisure and hospitality, continue to recover their pandemic declines. As national retail sales growth slows from its double-digit pace of 2021, City retail sales and associated revenues could see a return to historical growth rates following the next two fiscal years.

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Girls waiting on a subway platform

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority: Safety, Reliability and Frequency

MTA Must Prioritize Safety and Service to Win Riders Back

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) continues to make progress on bringing back riders, but  ridership remains well below pre-pandemic levels, putting a major strain on its budget. The report highlights key areas of transit service — safety, reliability and frequency — where the MTA can take steps to improve riders’ experience and encourage their return, to effectively fulfil its mission and stabilize its fiscal position.

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A view of new york city skyscrapers

Pandemic Impacts on NYC Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Priorities

Questions Remain on Continued Funding for Pandemic-era Programs

Like many cities across the United States, New York City has adjusted its budget priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic to help address pressing needs. This report examines how the City’s spending priorities shifted during the pandemic, including increases to support education, public safety, quality of life improvements and social services, as well the risks and uncertainties that could impact these newly funded programs in the long term.

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A young employee working at a deli counter.

New York City’s Uneven Recovery: Youth Labor Force Struggling

Economic and Policy Insights

More than two years after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, young people are still facing double-digit unemployment. There are currently over 70,000 unemployed young workers in the City, nearly two times as many as in 2019. Young men are struggling the most with nearly 24% remaining unemployed, significantly higher than in the rest of New York State and the nation.

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Charts showing the drop in funding for New York City's agencies

Identifying Fiscal Cliffs in New York City’s Financial Plan

DROP IN FUNDING COULD IMPACT SERVICES FOR RESIDENTS

New York City’s published financial plan includes funding for some recurring spending initiatives for only a limited period, creating additional risks to already identified budget gaps. The Office of the State Comptroller has created a tool to identify sources and uses of funds for City programs that are not fully funded during the remaining years of the City’s financial plan.

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mta

Subway Ridership Dashboard

impact of the covid-19 pandemic on subway ridership

Comptroller DiNapoli has launched an interactive online tool of subway ridership that details where straphangers are, and are not, returning to the subway system, alongside neighborhood and local demographics, employment and income. While many New Yorkers and businesses turned to telecommuting to protect themselves from the virus, others have not had that luxury. As a result, ridership as a percentage of pre-COVID levels has remained much higher in lower-income neighborhoods than in wealthy ones.

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