In March, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 2,095 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $52.1 billion and approved more than 3.6 million payments worth more than $33.1 billion. The office rejected 241 contracts and related transactions valued at $1.7 billion and more than 6,800 payments valued at nearly $25.3 million, primarily for mistakes, insufficient support for charges, and improper payments. More information on these contracts and payments is available at Open Book New York.

The Central New York Regional Market Authority’s financial position has deteriorated, and the cash available to pay operating costs declined from fiscal year (FY) 2020-21 to FY 2022-23, according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Local sales tax collections in New York state increased by 1.5% in April compared to the same month in 2023, according to data released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overall, local collections totaled $1.76 billion, up $26.1 million from the same time last year.

A new report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli details troubling child poverty trends across the state, including a child poverty rate that is one of the worst in the nation and alarmingly high in some cities.

New York City’s full-time government workforce is expected to increase for the first-time year-over-year since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The city is projected to end the 2024 Fiscal Year (FY) in June with at least 283,000 full-time employees, up from 281,917 workers in June 2023.

New York state helped stabilize the MTA’s finances last year, but its capital program for maintaining and upgrading the regional transit system faces significant delays due to funding issues, which may also pressure its next capital plan, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced the following local government and school audits were issued.

Food insecurity is increasing in New York, with one-in-nine households (11.3% or 875,000 families) unable to get enough food at some point during 2020 through 2022 because they lacked money or other resources, according to a follow-up analysis released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. A report released last year found one-in-10 New York households (800,000 families) experienced food insecurity in 2019 through 2021.

A 37-year-old Queens woman was arrested today for allegedly stealing nearly $85,000 in New York state pension payments meant for her deceased father, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced.

“Deanna Hansen allegedly exploited the death of her father and tried to cheat the New York State and Local Retirement System for her own gain,” DiNapoli said. “Thanks to the work of my office, Albany County District Attorney David Soares and Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple, she will answer for her crime.”

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Broome County District Attorney F. Paul Battisti today announced that Joy LaBarr, a 58-year-old Binghamton woman, was sentenced to pay full restitution of $32,000 and serve five years’ probation.

“Ms. LaBarr’s conviction should serve as a warning to those who try to defraud the New York State Pension system,” DiNapoli said. “My office is committed to protecting the Pension Fund from fraud and I thank Broome County District Attorney Battisti for partnering with us to ensure she was brought to justice.”