Reports

The New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) is one of the largest public pension funds in the nation, with assets held in trust for the benefit of the more than one million members and pensioners of the New York State and Local Retirement System (System). The System is widely regarded as one of the nation’s best-managed and best funded public pension plans.

Sales tax revenue for local governments in May totaled $918 million, or $437 million less than 2019. The sharp decline in revenues was widespread around the state, ranging from a drop of 19.5 percent in Westchester County to a 41.5 percent decline in Tioga County. 

Of the total contracts, 2,276 (50 percent) were processed after their start or renewal dates. This is an increase from 2018, when 47 percent were reported late. The trend bears watching; the State must avoid further regression toward the ten-year high of 87 percent late in 2013.

In order to ensure contractors doing business with the New York State are paid timely, Article 11-A of State Finance Law prescribes timeframes for agencies to prepare and submit vouchers to the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) for review and approval before payment.

New York City has been the epicenter of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the United States. The economic, social and budgetary impacts have been unprecedented, while the loss of life has been unimaginable.

New York State has experienced difficult budgets many times over its history. Seldom if ever, however, has the State faced the level of economic and revenue challenges identified in this year’s Enacted Budget Financial Plan as a consequence of the COVID19 pandemic.

In 2019, OSC completed 18 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool special education providers. These audits have cumulatively identified almost $11.2 million in recommended disallowances, or almost 11 percent of the total expenses of $103.5 million for the audit period. 

Plummeting sales tax collections were widespread, leaving counties, cities and some other local governments short by about $327 million compared to last year. Although the first quarter of 2020 was relatively strong, March sales tax collections had already begun to show the impact of the COVID-19 shutdown–a decrease of 3.7 percent statewide with the largest declines downstate. The April figures show shrinking revenues for local governments throughout the state. 

Regional Table (.xlsx)

The New York State Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Asset Management and Financial Institution Strategy (Chapter 171, Laws of 2010) was enacted to codify and replicate best practices for providing MWBEs that are asset managers, investment banks and financial and professional service providers with the opportunity to offer services to fiduciary-controlled entities established by New York State law.

New York State local sales tax collections in the first quarter (January-March) of 2020 totaled $4.4 billion. This was an increase of 4.6 percent over the same period last year, mostly reflecting sales made before the statewide implementation of business and office closures and social distancing policies in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New York State is facing extraordinary challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Its punishing impacts include shutting down much of the economy, throwing millions of Americans out of work, and devastating State finances.

The New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP), administered by the State Department of Civil Service (Civil Service), is one of the nation's largest public sector health insurance programs. NYSHIP covers over 1.2 million active and retired State, local government, and school district employees, and their dependents. The Empire Plan is the primary health benefits plan for NYSHIP, covering 1.1 million of the NYSHIP members.

Inadequate capital funding and poor management practices have contributed to a marked deterioration in the mass transit system operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). In addition, the MTA’s operating budget faces significant challenges.

The average bonus paid to employees in New York City’s securities industry increased by 3 percent in 2019 to $164,100, but it is likely to fall sharply in 2020 as the coronavirus crisis strains industry profitability.

Local officials are statutorily required to file certain financial reports annually with the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC). While most local governments file within required timeframes, some do not. A relatively small number of local governments are severely delinquent—failing to file for three or more years—which calls into question the financial standing of the locality as well as the effectiveness of the management of the local government in general.

New York’s school districts are responsible for one of the most important functions of government – educating children from kindergarten through 12th grade. Each district must navigate a complex set of State rules and local needs and determine how to fund its programs using a mix of local property taxes and State and federal aid sources. This report provides regional analysis of certain financial and demographic data for New York’s school districts outside of New York City. It presents this information to identify the levels and recent trends in revenue, expenditures, district wealth, student characteristics and outcomes, and special education services that could impact district budgets.

School District Level Data [xlsx]

Every ten years, the U.S. Constitution requires the government to perform a count of the population, known as a census.

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Every year, certain issues emerge as particular challenges in the State Budget. Clearly, among the most difficult this year is the structural budgetary imbalance in the State’s Medicaid program.

New York City is benefiting from the longest and largest job expansion since the end of World War II.

On January 16, 2020, the City of New York released a four-year financial plan for fiscal years 2020 through 2024 (the “January Plan”). The January Plan reflects the strength in the local economy, which has helped fuel personal and business tax collections; new agency needs; and an expansion in the citywide savings program.