Budget & Finances

Medicaid: Enrollment Growth, COVID-19 and the Future, December 2021

Monthly enrollment in the Medicaid program has grown by about 5 percent per year since January 2007, and exceeded 7 million for the first time in February 2021. This report discusses the factors that have driven growth in Medicaid enrollment and the resulting cost impacts, the relationship between Medicaid enrollment and economic indicators, and the cost implications if the Division of the Budget's anticipated enrollment reductions fail to materialize.

A Review of Capital Needs and Resilience at the MTA

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is facing significant long-term financial challenges, including risks to its capital plan and pressure from escalating debt, while the impacts of climate change demand a sharper focus on preparation for and response to extreme weather events. The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act offers a boost for the agency’s capital plan, but also heightens the need for appropriate prioritization of capital projects.

Fiscal Stress Monitoring System - School Districts: School Year 2019-20 Results; 2020-21 Risks

This snapshot highlights the FSMS results for school districts that reported for school fiscal year (SY) 2019-20, which ended on June 30, 2020, which included the period of the statewide mandatory school shutdown from March 18 through the end of the school year. The snapshot also discusses some of the major fiscal stress risk factors posed by the pandemic for school districts in SY 2020-21 (not yet scored).

Pandemic and Recovery: Local Government Finances and Federal Assistance - Lessons from the Mid-Hudson Region, October 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.

Strengthening New York City’s Rainy-Day Fund, November 2021

In early 2021, New York City established a rainy-day fund, to better prepare for financial downturns. This report lays how the City can ensure resources are available when needed, by establishing a clear and written purpose for the funds, creating targets for how much should go into the fund each year and setting the conditions for withdrawals. The report also found the City’s reserve policies are not as robust as other large U.S.

COVID-19 Relief Program Tracker, October 2021

Comptroller DiNapoli has launched his new online tool to monitor spending of federal recovery aid and COVID-19 relief programs in the State. The dashboard explains each federal and State program, and how much has been received and spent to date. The data will be updated monthly and New Yorkers can use the tool to understand how federal aid is used and to inform future conversations about budget priorities.