The Bond Buyer published an op-ed from New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and William Glasgall, Senior Director, Public Finance, at the Volcker Alliance, a nonprofit based in New York City. The full op-ed is below:

In 2020 and 2021, the federal government sent an unprecedented amount of money to states and localities to blunt the impact of lockdowns and other COVID-19 pandemic-related challenges.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced that the estimated value of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) was $254.1 billion at the end of the first quarter of state fiscal year 2023-24. For the three-month period ending June 30, 2023, Fund investments returned an estimated +3.08%.

Local sales tax collections in New York state grew by 3% in July compared to the same month in 2022, according to an analysis released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overall, local collections totaled $1.82 billion, up $53.3 million compared to the same time last year.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Wayne County District Attorney Michael Calarco and the New York State Police announced today that the former court clerk for the Town of Marion, Eileen Steurrys, pleaded guilty to stealing over $50,000 from the town court.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Albany County District Attorney David Soares and the New York State Police today announced that Alayne Bertolino pleaded guilty to stealing more than $240,000 in New York state pension payments made to her deceased father.

From 2010 through 2021, the percentage of New Yorkers without health insurance declined every year to 5.2% in 2021, well below the national average of 8.6% and less than half of what it was in the state in 2010 (11.9%), according to an analysis by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Rates of uninsured New Yorkers are lower than the national average due to the state’s higher enrollment in public health insurance programs, which provided coverage to 4 in 10 New Yorkers in 2021.

The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) needs to improve its oversight of local departments of social services and homeless shelter providers to make sure those entering the shelters are being set up with a plan to get the services they need and transition to permanent housing, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced the following local government and school audits were issued.

Parks across New York State were found to have inaccessible entrances and restrooms, obstacles on access trails and paths, and limited parking for people with disabilities, according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (Parks) oversees more than 250 parks and historic sites and works to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced that Gennady Galker pleaded guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree following an indictment that accused him of stealing checks totaling $31,149 from mailboxes in Brooklyn and using a false identity to cash them. His thefts included checks from the Jewish Communal Fund for local charities and from DiNapoli’s Office of Unclaimed Funds.