New York State local sales tax collections in the first quarter (January-March) of 2020 totaled $4.4 billion. This was an increase of 4.6 percent over the same period last year, mostly reflecting sales made before the statewide implementation of business and office closures and social distancing policies in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local government sales tax collections declined by 7.1 percent, or $102 million, in November compared to the same month in 2019. The decline is steeper than in October, but not as bad as the double-digit declines in the earlier months (April-June) of the pandemic. All but five counties saw declines in overall collections in November, and New York City had a 6.5 percent, or $45 million, decline.

In January 2018, OSC initiated its series of audits to determine whether the MTA and constituent agencies have appropriate oversight and monitoring controls over homeless outreach services on MTA properties and whether they have met the goal of maintaining a safe, secure transit environment by assisting homeless individuals to appropriate shelters off MTA properties.

The New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP), administered by the State Department of Civil Service (Civil Service), is one of the nation's largest public sector health insurance programs. NYSHIP covers over 1.2 million active and retired State, local government, and school district employees, and their dependents. The Empire Plan is the primary health benefits plan for NYSHIP, covering 1.1 million of the NYSHIP members.

Recent audits of dual employment in six State entities found that managers and supervisors failed to monitor employee time and attendance. At every agency where auditors found employees who violated time and attendance policies, there were also supervisors and managers who didn’t know where their employees were or who allowed employees to misrepresent the hours worked.

As of December 2014, OSC has completed 40 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool and/or school age special education providers over the last decade. These audits have cumulatively identified almost $42 million in disallowances, or 7.6 percent of the total claimed expenses of $544 million for the audit period. 

In 2015, OSC completed 23 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool special education providers. These audits have cumulatively identified over $10 million in disallowances, or about 3.4 percent of the total claimed expenses of almost $301 million for the audit period. 

In 2016, OSC completed 26 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool special education providers. These audits have cumulatively identified about $5.5 million in recommended disallowances, or nearly 3 percent of the total claimed expenses of almost $188 million for the audit period. 

In 2019, OSC completed 18 audits of expenses submitted to SED by preschool special education providers. These audits have cumulatively identified almost $11.2 million in recommended disallowances, or almost 11 percent of the total expenses of $103.5 million for the audit period.