Reports

This report is the third issued by the Office of the State Comptroller since 2009 concerning affordable housing in New York City.

Many of New York’s local governments are still struggling with the effects of the recent recession. The following report takes a look at how some of the drivers of fiscal stress have affected counties, cities, towns, and villages.

The City has paid down a significant amount of debt. This, along with the City’s substantial fund balance and a large tax margin, leave Watertown well positioned to cope with current and future fiscal challenges.

The Office of the State Comptroller recommends that, before State agencies are authorized to use P3 financing, policy makers should first develop a better  understanding of the potential costs and benefits of this approach. This report identifies a number of the risks  associated with privately financed infrastructure agreements and suggests ways to reduce such risks.

The Executive’s proposal could move toward increased private control over the provision of power on Long Island.

On May 2, 2013, the Mayor released his executive budget for FY 2014 and the associated four-year financial plan (“the May Plan”). The May Plan reflects the estimated impact of federal sequestration, the cost of Superstorm Sandy and the enacted State budget. Although the May Plan projects modest budget gaps beginning in FY 2015, the City has yet to reach new labor agreements with its unions.

The City of Elmira has taken measures to control expenditures through management efficiencies, while still recognizing the importance of investment in infrastructure and economic development initiatives.

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 (or firms) that are asset managers, investment banks and financial and professional service firms with the opportunity to offer services to fiduciary-controlled entities established by New York State law.

In 2012-13, vendors were paid interest totaling $2,552,297, representing an increase of $627,035 above the prior year. 

IDAs can assist ailing municipalities by encouraging the creation of new businesses or the retention of existing businesses. However, it is vitally important that the granting of tax exemptions for a project will generate an economic benefit in the form of well-paying jobs and/or future new revenues for local governments. In short, incentives should be coupled with performance. 

2011 Regional IDA Statistics [pdf] | 2011 Regional IDA Statistics - Jobs Created [pdf] | Economic Development Regions of NYS [pdf] | IDA Projects in 2011 [xlsx]

More than a decade ago, New York became the fourth state in the nation to extend in-state college tuition rates to undocumented immigrant students. Today, approximately 8,300 such students attend public institutions of higher education throughout New York.

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State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2012-13 brought serious budgetary challenges, including the second most expensive storm to hit the United States and a still-slow recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

This is the second annual report by the Office of the State Comptroller on overtime use by New York State agencies. This statistical overview covers the past six years and expands the types of information presented in our first report.

New York State's Enacted Budget for the 2013-14 State Fiscal Year (SFY) reflects a continuing effort by the Executive and the Legislature to restrain spending, while holding projected gaps for the next three years to more manageable levels than has been the case over most of the past decade.

Growth in the number, cost and influence of public authorities has necessitated increased disclosure and oversight of their activities, which historically have been less transparent than those of State agencies.

On January 29, 2013, Mayor Bloomberg released his executive budget for FY 2014 and the associated four-year financial plan (“the January Plan”). The January Plan reflects the City’s failure to reach agreement with the United Federation of Teachers on a new teacher evaluation system, which may result in the loss of $250 million in State education aid and cuts in educational services. The January Plan also reflects the estimated cost of Superstorm Sandy.

The Executive Budget for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2013-14 was released by the Executive on January 22, 2013. On February 21, the Executive submitted final amendments to the proposed budget, to supplement the 21-day amendments previously released.

Public authorities make up an increasingly large and influential sphere of government in New York State.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is constructing one of the largest and most complex public works projects in the country, East Side Access (ESA).

The City of Rochester projects large and growing budget gaps in its 2013-14 through 2017-18 fiscal years. Absent significant spending cuts or increasing revenues, the gaps could cause the City to exhaust its available fund balance within the next two fiscal years.