In April, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 1,580 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $1.3 billion and approved nearly 4.2 million payments worth nearly $13.7 billion. The office rejected 115 contracts and related transactions valued at $255.5 million and nearly 6,200 payments valued at nearly $28.2 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.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt today announced the indictment of former City of Dunkirk Festivals Coordinator Hector Rosas for using his public position to pilfer more than $50,000 through several schemes.

New sources of recurring revenue in the state’s final budget and other aid, including expected revenue from congestion pricing, give the Metropolitan Transportation Authority an opportunity to ease the pressure that growing debt places on its operations and stabilize its future finances, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Ensuring stronger finances down the road will depend in part on how the MTA chooses to manage debt in the coming years.

The $229 billion Enacted Budget for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023-24 includes new recurring spending for schools, mental health services, and health care, as well as resources for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and for emergency rental assistance. Preliminary estimates show All Funds spending will grow nearly 4% year-over-year amid a projected drop in revenues and as temporary federal aid is spent down, according to an analysis by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

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

Local sales tax collections in New York state increased by 1.5% in April compared to the same month in 2022, according to an analysis released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overall, local collections totaled $1.74 billion, up $25.8 million compared to the same time last year.

The unemployment rate for mothers in New York City has improved but it remains higher than it was prior to the pandemic, according to a report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The report also found that 5.7% of city moms in the workforce were unemployed in 2022 compared to 3.4% nationally. Black mothers in the city are the hardest hit, facing an unemployment rate of 9%.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander today announced that they have called on Netflix shareholders to support their joint proposal urging the streaming service to uphold its employees’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Their shareholder proposal will be subject to a vote at the company’s annual meeting on June 1, 2023.

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

Overtime costs at state agencies rose 47.2% to more than $1.36 billion in 2022, setting a new record, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Overtime hours increased 11.1% to 22.2 million over the same period. Overtime earnings comprised 7.5% of total payroll spending in 2022, a significant increase from the 4.6% average from 2013-2021.