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].
Featured Dashboards
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.
Review of the Financial Plan of the City of New York
NYC Financial Plan Improved From June
New York City’s fiscal year (FY) 2023 budget is projected to rise to $109.4, after transfers, but City finances could come under pressure amid a slowing economic recovery and an increase in demand for City services. For the upcoming FY 2024 preliminary budget, State Comptroller DiNapoli urges the City to provide a realistic and transparent view of the City’s revenue and expenses and take actions to close out-year gaps while maintaining critical services.
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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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Fare Revenue Considerations for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Economic and Policy Insights
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has long faced difficulties closing projected budget gaps, which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, necessitating an unprecedented level of federal funding to maintain service operations. The MTA had been previously encouraged to examine cost and revenue efficiencies but those alone are unlikely to close the more than $2.5 billion annual gap that will remain when federal pandemic relief is exhausted in 2025, forcing the MTA to lay out savings and revenue options for its stakeholders to consider.
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Update on New York City Staffing Trends
Decline in City Workforce Largest Since the Great Recession
Attrition outpaces hiring among New York City’s municipal workforce, which could have an impact on critical City services and programs. The City’s full-time workforce declined by 19,113 employees over the last two years, the largest decline in staffing since the Great Recession of 2008. Despite the City hiring over 40,000 new employees in the last fiscal year, City job vacancies stand at more than 21,000.
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A Comparative Assessment of New York City’s Federal Pandemic Education Aid
Big Five Schools' Use of Pandemic Aid Reflects Different Priorities
New York’s "Big Five" school districts in New York City, Yonkers, Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester received $8.6 billion in federal pandemic relief funds, but there are sizeable differences in how school districts are using the funds. New York City has directed a smaller share of its total allocation toward addressing the academic impacts of the pandemic. The City, and all districts, can improve reporting linking educational outcomes for all of its students with their use of these historic federal education funds.
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10 Years After Superstorm Sandy: Tracking MTA Capital Spending
Progress made on nearly $8 billion in projects
Ten years ago, Superstorm Sandy made landfall in New York, causing catastrophic devastation to Long Island and New York City. One of the key organizations involved in the recovery and the planning of responses to future climate events is the MTA, whose assets were substantially impacted by the storm. This analysis tracks MTA’s progress on projects focused on rebuilding and strengthening elements affected by Superstorm Sandy and discusses what more can be done to better protect the system from new disasters.
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The Securities Industry in New York City
Wall St. Profits Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Following near-record profitability in 2020, securities industry pretax profits rose even further in 2021. As federal stimulus actions have wound down, profits in 2022 are returning to pre-pandemic levels. New York State and City are reliant on tax revenues from the industry and must be cautious in managing their budgets given continued uncertainty in the financial markets. Though national sector employment has grown recently, the City’s share of national sector employment continued to decline slightly.
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The Technology Sector in New York City
Tech Boom Partially Offset City's Pandemic Job Losses
Technology sector employment in New York City increased by 33.6% (43,430 jobs) from 2016 to 2021 to reach a record high of 172,570 jobs. The city’s private sector lost 3.3% of jobs during this same period. Businesses in the tech sector also grew, accounting for 22.3 percent of the City’s total private firms added during the same period. Most of these firms consisted of fewer than 10 employees and contributed to the citywide growth in microbusinesses during the pandemic.
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Financial Outlook for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
MTA Outlook Shows Growing Need for New Funding as Budget Gaps Widen
Over the last year, the fiscal position of the MTA has deteriorated, as transit ridership continued to lag at the low end of the authority’s projections. The MTA has two years to bring back riders and rebuild fare revenue before federal aid runs out. In the meantime, it must develop plans to cover budget gaps that start at $2.5 billion in 2025.
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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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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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