Local Government Publications

New York State local government sales tax collections totaled $19.6 billion in 2021, an increase of 19.1 percent, or $3.1 billion, compared to the previous year. This was the highest annual jump on record after a historic low in 2020 when local sales tax collections declined by 10 percent. The report examines the many factors that drove sales tax growth in 2021, including inflation, along with the difference in sales tax recovery between New York City and the rest of the State. The report also analyzes the pandemic’s impact on consumer spending, particularly as it pertains to the local taxable sales and purchases for the State’s key sectors, such as retail trade and accommodation and food services. | Regional Table [.xlsx]

The Accounting and Reporting Manual for Fire Districts is a comprehensive guide for fire districts and others interested in accounting and financial reporting by fire districts in New York State. The manual provides an overview of accounting and financial reporting principles to be used by fire districts to account and report their financial activities.

This guide describes the types of reserve funds that local governments and school districts can establish and maintain. In general, reserve funds have specific intended purposes and requirements as set forth in law. This guide contains a summary of the many different types of reserve funds authorized by New York State statutes.

This Annual Report on Local Governments provides a summary analysis of the financial state of the local governments outside of New York City for local fiscal years ending in 2020. It highlights the unique challenges that local officials faced from the COVID-19 pandemic. | NYS Local Government Interactive Data

Local governments across the state own 85 percent of all roads, from city and village streets to town roads and county highways. In fiscal year 2020, local governments, excluding New York City, spent $2 billion on road maintenance, repairs and upgrades, a decline of 7 percent since 2010. This report looks at local road spending, State and federal road aid, and the need for a comprehensive assessment of road conditions, maintenance needs and associated costs. | Interactive Map

This snapshot highlights the FSMS results for school districts that reported for school fiscal year (SY) 2020-21, which ended on June 30, 2021. Fewer school districts were scored in fiscal stress in this year, but the COViD-19 pandemic and the local, State and federal responses to it had a negative impact on district operations.

Statewide local sales tax collections grew by 17.5% in November compared to the same month in 2020. Overall, local collections totaled almost $1.6 billion, up $235 million from November of last year. Collections for the month were also notably robust when compared to pre-pandemic levels, up 9.2% (or $133 million) from November of 2019. New York City’s collections totaled $696 million, an increase of 12.6% – or nearly $78 million – when compared to November of 2020. Nearly every county experienced significant year-over-year growth in collections for November. | Regional Table [.xlsx]

Learn about electronic cash management technologies and the internal controls needed to help detect fraud and ensure that all transactions are captured. Relevant topics include the use of online banking, electronic transfers of funds, accepting credit/debit cards, remote deposit capture, lockboxes and common protection practices to safeguard cash.

Statewide local government sales tax collections in October totaled more than $1.5 billion, an increase of 12.9 percent (or $175 million) compared to the same month in 2020. This growth continued the trend of monthly collections since April exceeding 2020 results. Strong local sales tax performance in October reflects weakened collections during the same month in 2020, when many parts of the state were still adversely impacted by the pandemic. That said, October 2021 total collections were fairly strong even when compared to the figures reported during pre-pandemic levels, up 7 percent (or $101 million) over October of 2019. Nearly every county outside of New York City saw year-over-year collections for October grow by double digits, while New York City’s sales taxes increased by 8.3 percent or over $51 million. | Regional Table [.xlsx]

This report highlights the results of the 2020 Census for local governments in New York State and accompanies a new online interactive map that provides census population statistics by age, race and ethnicity, along with housing trends, for each city, county, town and village statewide. | Interactive Census Dashboard

This bulletin provides updated guidance related to accounting for retained percentages for governmental and proprietary funds in fund level financial records. It also updates previous accounting guidance based on the current standards for liability recognition and measurement and it also establishes a new retained percentages account code.
Updated November 2021 (Previously Updated May 2017)

Local government sales tax collections totaled nearly $5.2 billion in the third quarter of 2021, up $861 million (20 percent) compared to the same period last year. Every region in the State, including New York City, experienced robust growth in sales tax revenue. When compared to pre-pandemic levels, statewide local collections grew by 8.6 percent ($409 million) this past quarter over the same period in 2019. In fact, the third quarter marked the fifth quarter in a row that county and city sales tax receipts outside of New York City met or exceeded 2019 pre-pandemic levels for the same period. New York City collections have been recovering more slowly since the second quarter of 2020, but its sales tax revenue has nearly reached pre-pandemic levels. | Regional Table [.xlsx]

Effective August 1, 2012, a new subdivision 16 was added to General Municipal Law (GML) § 103 to authorize political subdivisions and districts therein to purchase apparatus, materials, equipment and supplies, and to contract for services related to the installation, maintenance or repair of those items, through the use of contracts let by the United States or any agency thereof, any state or any other political subdivision or district therein. The contract must be made available for use by other governmental entities.
Updated October 2021 (Originally Issued July 2016)

This guidance document expands upon the importance of proper fiscal oversight, as discussed in our July 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Information bulletin. It also identifies the main source of revenues available under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act to local governments and school districts in NYS. Lastly, it addresses how local government and school district officials should account for CRRSA Act and ARP Act revenues and pandemic-related expenditures.
Updated October 2021 (Originally Issued June 2021)

The case studies described in this report provide insight into some of the fiscal challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented to individual local governments in 2020. OSC staff conducted interviews and financial analysis in late fall 2020, choosing the Mid-Hudson region as the geographical focus. The City of Peekskill, the Town of Cornwall and the Village of New Paltz agreed to participate in the study. Each had its own unique experience in 2020, but each also shows some of the typical problems facing local governments throughout the region and the State.

This snapshot highlights the results for counties, cities, towns and villages that reported for local fiscal years ending (FYE) 2020. These scores, therefore, reflect the partial-year impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on operations for most local governments.

Read the frequently asked questions and answers document on GASB Statement 84. A useful tool for both local government and school district officials. | Accounting and Financial Reporting for Fiduciary Activities as Required by GASB Statement 84
Updated September 2021 (Originally Issued June 2021)

Local government sales tax collections in August increased by 15.5 percent, or $204 million, over the same month in 2020, making it the fifth month in a row that collections exceeded 2020 results. The double-digit growth in local sales taxes reflects the fact that collections during August of 2020 were fairly weak as sales activity was recovering in certain parts of the state from the early effects of the pandemic. Still, August 2021 total collections were strong even by comparison with pre-pandemic levels, growing 6.5 percent, or nearly $93 million, over August of 2019. Every county outside of New York City saw year-over-year collections for August grow by double digits, while New York City’s collections increased by 7.9 percent or over $45 million. | Regional Table [.xlsx]

Local government sales taxes in July totaled close to $1.6 billion, up $276 million or 21.2 percent over the same month in 2020, marking the fourth consecutive month that collections have surged. July’s significant growth in local sales taxes reflects the fact that collections in the same month of 2020 were quite weak, with sales activity that was still recovering from the first wave of the pandemic. However, collections were also strong even by comparison with pre-pandemic 2019, growing 11.2 percent, or $159 million, over July of that year. New York City’s collections totaled $649 million, an increase of 14.2 percent or $81 million compared to July 2020, and all other counties saw year-over-year collections for July grow by double digits. | Regional Table [.xlsx]

The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) has compiled this manual as a comprehensive accounting guide for school district officials and others interested in accounting by school districts in New York State. It provides an overview of generally accepted governmental accounting and financial reporting principles, and OSC's interpretations of such principles, where pronouncements are silent or do not address problems common among school districts within New York State.