The recently enacted fiscal year 2016-17 state budget includes a $1.4 billion increase in school aid, as well as increases to the minimum wage and phased-in personal income tax cuts for most taxpayers, but adds to state debt and shifts significant spending off-budget and to authorities, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report also notes the budget sacrificed public transparency both in process and content.

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

State agencies were late more than 77 percent of the time in approving contracts with not-for-profit providers (NFPs) in 2014, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The late approvals prompted interest payments, mandated under the Prompt Contracting Law, that cost the state $195,663 last year, the report found.

The former treasurer for Pulteney Fire District No. 2 pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $5,000 in public funds, after an audit and investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli revealed that she falsified vouchers and paid herself an additional, illegal salary.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P.

A sampling of municipalities from across New York reveals gaps in the review of fire safety plans or evacuation procedures for public buildings such as adult care facilities, hospitals, hotels, preschools, libraries and shopping malls, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The audit reviewed enforcement of the state’s Uniform Fire Code in seven cities and three villages.

The New York State Canal Corporation has not performed inspections as required on a significant number of critical structures along the system’s 524 miles of waterways, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced that the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) reached a record estimated value of $183.5 billion as of the close of the state fiscal year on March 31, 2015.  

“The Fund performed well over the past year despite the challenges in the market,” DiNapoli said. “We achieved a solid return on investments in the midst of global volatility thanks to our talented investment staff and our diversified asset allocation.” 

Former Potsdam Justice Court clerk Mary Jo Guyette was sentenced today in a $117,120 embezzlement case uncovered in an audit and investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

One month into the state’s 2015-2016 fiscal year, state tax collections totaled $8.6 billion, an increase of 21.4 percent from last April, primarily due to an increase in Personal Income Tax (PIT) collections. Tax collections, however, were $23.7 million lower than newly released Division of the Budget (DOB) projections, according to the April state cash report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.