New York State

New York’s Balance of Payments in the Federal Budget - Federal Fiscal Year 2022, April 2024

Historic federal pandemic relief funds, though being spent down, continued to boost New York’s balance of payments in Federal Fiscal Year 2022. For every dollar New York sent to the federal government in tax receipts, it received $1.06 back in federal spending, as compared to a national average of $1.28, ranking New York 39 out of 45 states with a positive balance of payments. This report is the eighth in a series by the Office of the State Comptroller that examines the flow of funds between the federal government and the states.

State Contract and Payment Actions in February

In February, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 1,533 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $4.8 billion and approved nearly 3.4 million payments worth nearly $12.7 billion. The office rejected 176 contracts and related transactions valued at $3.3 billion and more than 6,200 payments valued at more than $22.9 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.

DiNapoli Announces State Pension Fund's 2024 Corporate Governance Stewardship Priorities

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund), today outlined the Fund’s stewardship priorities for 2024, including setting expectations related to climate risks, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), workforce management, and ensuring a robust governance framework to promote high levels of accountability. DiNapoli also announced the Fund has updated its proxy voting guidelines and released its 2023 Stewardship Report.

DiNapoli Audit: Growing Number of Youth in Juvenile Justice Centers at Risk Due to Staff Shortages

Ongoing staff shortages in juvenile justice centers around New York state are potentially putting youth at risk, according to an audit from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The population in secure juvenile justice facilities has grown, straining staff’s ability to properly assess the physical and mental health of youth at intake as physical altercations, illegal drug use, and incidents of self-harm rise.

The Importance of Responsible Debt Management

In the throes of the economic uncertainty and fiscal turbulence caused by the COVID crisis, legislation was enacted as part of the SFY 2021-22 budget authorizing the use of State-supported bonding with final maturities up to 50 years for capital purposes for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. This legislation has been reauthorized and proposed again in the State Fiscal Year 2024-25 Executive Budget.

2023 Corporate Governance Stewardship Report, February 2024

The Corporate Governance Program supports and facilitates the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in the Common Retirement Fund’s due diligence process, investment decisions, and performance monitoring program, and provides active stewardship of the Fund’s public equity holdings.

The Growing Role of Counties in Emergency Medical Services

This report examines the local government role in emergency medical services (EMS) in New York State and particularly the growing role that counties are playing in EMS provision. Declining staffing levels, increasing costs and other challenges have put pressure on the State’s EMS agencies. In many cases, counties are stepping up to help. Their EMS expenditures are growing rapidly and increasingly they are participating directly in providing EMS to their residents, either as primary responders or as back-up providers to their local EMS agencies.

DiNapoli: More State Involvement Needed to Address Local Emergency Medical Services Challenges

Increasingly, counties across New York state are providing emergency medical services (EMS), amid a drop in EMS workers and inadequate funding, but more state action is needed to ensure localities are able to provide dependable emergency services around the state, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Mental Health: Inpatient Service Capacity

Between 2013 and 2022, there was a 23% increase in the number of individuals served by the State’s public mental health system. The rising need for mental health services coincided with a loss of 990 beds, a 10.5% drop in capacity, in inpatient psychiatric facilities statewide between April 2014 and December 2023. Ensuring the availability of inpatient mental health services is a critical component of the State’s effort to address the ongoing mental health challenges facing the State and improve the lives of vulnerable New Yorkers.

DiNapoli: Percentage of New Yorkers With Mental Illness Rose as Available Psychiatric Beds Declined

The mental health needs of New Yorkers have greatly increased, with 21.1% of adults struggling with mental Illness and 5.1% with a severe mental illness in 2021-2022, according to federal data. Between 2013 and 2022, there was a 23% increase in the number of individuals served by the state’s public mental health system, with nearly 900,000 residents utilizing the services. According to a report by State Comptroller Thomas P.