Reports

Proposed federal changes to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest program helping households obtain food, would increase costs to state governments, limit eligibility and reduce the value of future benefits. As an essential safety net program, SNAP benefits have traditionally been funded by the federal government; the proposed changes could weaken the program and lead to increased food insecurity in New York and nationally.

Budget resolutions under consideration by the 119th Congress could lead to a dramatic restructuring of the federal⁠⁠-⁠⁠state⁠ ⁠relationship. This online resource details the vast array of services that federal funding supports amid the continued uncertainty in Washington over potential cuts for states, including funds for Medicaid and other health programs, education, social welfare, transportation, public protection and other vital programs.  

New York City’s proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 operating budget relies on $7.4 billion in federal government funding, accounting for 6.4% of total spending. Recent federal government actions to cut grant programs could jeopardize at least $535 million of federal aid in FY 2025 and FY 2026, but nearly all federal operating aid that flows to the City could be subject to cuts or elimination.

For the fourth year in a row, federal pandemic relief funds resulted in New York having a positive balance of payments with Washington. For every tax dollar New York paid to Washington in Federal Fiscal Year 2023, the State received $1.06 in return; the national average was $1.32. New York’s balance of payments was $912 per capita, ranking New York 42nd among states. This report is the ninth in a series by the Office of the State Comptroller that examines the flow of funds between the federal government and the states.

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The Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) included over 100 provisions amending the federal taxation of individuals and businesses beginning in tax year 2018. Should the provisions of the TCJA sunset with no additional changes made to the federal tax code, there would be little impact on New York State tax collections due to the decoupling that occurred in State Fiscal Year 2018-19. Whatever the outcome relating to the extension of the TCJA as well the inclusion of any new proposals, New York taxpayers will be impacted.

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.

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The size of New York City’s immigrant workforce was flat over nearly a decade. Through 2023, the foreign-born labor market grew 18.5% since 2015 nationally, while New York City’s declined 0.6%, according to data analyzed from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Still, in 2023, New York City’s 1.8 million foreign-born workers made up 44.3% of its total labor force, more than double the national share of 18.6%.

One Page Summary: Foreign-Born in the Workforce in NYC

The surge in federal spending in response to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly improved New York’s per capita ranking in the federal balance of payments from 49th in 2019 to 30th in Federal Fiscal Year 2021. For every dollar New York sent to the federal government in tax receipts, it received $1.51 back in federal spending, as compared to a national average of $1.70. This report is the seventh in a series by the Office of the State Comptroller that examines the flow of funds between the federal government and the states.

Interactive Map | Excel file with supporting data

Historic relief funds from the federal government, provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, boosted New York’s per capita balance of payments from Washington from second-to-last in federal fiscal year 2019 to 40th in 2020. During this period, New York received $1.59 for every tax dollar paid to Washington, an increase from 91 cents from the prior year, but still below the national average of $1.92. 

Although New York City was an early epicenter for COVID-19, only 45.6 percent of firms in the City received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, below the national average of 50.9 percent.

In Federal Fiscal Year 2019, New York State generated $23.7 billion more in federal taxes than it received in federal spending. In total dollars, New York’s deficit was the highest among the 50 states. For every tax dollar paid to Washington, our State received 91 cents in return—well below the national average of $1.24.

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In March and April 2020, Congress passed four stimulus bills to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the public health system and the economy. As Congress debates additional relief measures, it is worth reviewing the targeting of the initial funding in order to inform new policy to counter the virus and its economic effects.

Every ten years, the U.S. Constitution requires the government to perform a count of the population, known as a census.

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New York’s Alexander Hamilton played a central role among our nation’s Founders, as the Broadway musical bearing his name reminds us. One of the questions Hamilton analyzed as he sought to build support for a stronger central government was the potential for “inequality among the States” in paying federal taxes. Well over two centuries later, that issue remains a national concern.

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In 2009 and 2010, President Obama and Congress enacted two major laws—the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the Affordable Care Act—that provided significant new funding to help New York and other states provide essential services to the people.

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It’s been said that the only certain things in life are death and taxes. But when leaders in Washington make sweeping promises about the benefits of “tax reform,” we can be certain of at least one other thing – the need to look very carefully at the numbers.

As the President and Congress push for changes on both the spending and revenue sides of the federal budget, the stakes for New York State are high.

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The President and leading members of Congress are pushing to enact major changes in our federal tax code. Before any such measures become law, we need to make sure that taxpayers and policy makers understand the implications for New Yorkers.

Federal aid is a critical component of local government revenues. Proposed changes to federal education policy, expanded military spending and the Executive Order declaring "sanctuary jurisdictions" ineligible for some federal grants could also affect New York's local governments. This report and the accompanying interactive data use information reported by local governments to help local officials and citizens understand how they could be affected by such changes. 

It’s easy to take clean, safe drinking water for granted. However, as incidents of contamination in our public water supplies in recent years have reminded us, strong regulatory oversight is essential to assure the quality and safety of our water.