State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Saratoga County District Attorney Karen A. Heggen, the New York State Police and the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles today announced Christmas Fish of Halfmoon, N.Y. has been charged with grand larceny for allegedly stealing nearly $13,000 of her deceased mother’s pension benefits.

Local sales tax collections in New York state increased by 14.1% in October compared to the same month in 2021, according to an analysis released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overall, local collections totaled $1.75 billion, up $217 million compared to the same time last year.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli issued the following statement regarding the agreement announced today on New York City’s November Financial Plan.

The state Department of Labor’s (DOL) failure to replace its long-troubled Unemployment Insurance (UI) system and ad hoc workarounds to compensate for the old system weakened oversight and ultimately contributed to an estimated billions of dollars in improper payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Attrition outpaces hiring among New York City’s municipal workforce, which could have an impact on critical city services and programs, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report shows 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.

New York’s five largest school districts received $8.6 billion in federal pandemic relief funds, and analysis by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli released today found sizeable differences in how school districts are using the funds. The New York City Department of Education plans to use a smaller share of the billions of dollars of its federal aid to help close pandemic learning gaps than other large school districts, both in New York and nationwide.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today the following audits have been issued.

In September, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 1,465 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $2.9 billion and approved more than 2.2 million payments worth more than $14.9 billion. The office rejected 123 contracts and related transactions valued at $348 million and more than 8,700 payments valued at more than $11.8 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.

Drug overdose fatalities surged during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York state, with opioid-related overdose deaths increasing by 68% to nearly 5,000 individuals from 2019 to 2021, according to an analysis released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The surge is largely due to a sharp increase in deaths from opioids related to illicit fentanyl and similar synthetic opioids.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli issued the following statement today on the passing of Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III.

“Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts III was a spiritual leader not only for Abyssinian Baptist Church, but for all New York. He was an educator, dedicated to the students of SUNY Old Westbury. I will miss his friendship and pray for his family and the Abyssinian community in their grief.”