New York State

State Pension Employer Contribution Rates Announced for 2020-21, Assumed Rate of Return Lowered

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) employer contribution rates for State Fiscal Year 2020-21 will remain the same as the previous year for the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) with a small increase in rates for the Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS).

DiNapoli is also dropping the long-term assumed rate of return on investments from 7 percent to 6.8 percent, anticipating a lower return investment environment.

State Contract and Payment Actions in July

In July, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 1,627 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $2.9 billion and approved more than 1.8 million payments worth nearly $7.9 billion. The office rejected 123 contracts and related transactions valued at $250 million and nearly 1,300 payments valued at more than $9.8 million. More information on these contracts and payments is available at www.openbooknewyork.com.  

NYS Common Retirement Fund Reports First Quarter Results

The New York State Common Retirement Fund’s (Fund) estimated return in the first quarter of the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2019-20 was 3.38 percent for the three-month period ending June 30, 2019, raising its estimated value to $216.2 billion, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

State Contract and Payment Actions in June

In June, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 1,481 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at nearly $1.8 billion and approved nearly 1.7 million payments worth more than $10.5 billion. The office rejected 131 contracts and related transactions valued at $980 million and nearly 1,600 payments valued at more than $9.8 million. More information on these contracts and payments is available at www.openbooknewyork.com.

DiNapoli Finds Schools Falling Short on Emergency Planning

Schools are not doing enough to prepare for emergency situations like shootings, according to an audit of safety planning at 19 schools released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Auditors found none of the schools met the minimum planning or training requirements of the State Education Department (SED), which oversees safety planning for schools. Alarmingly, two schools did not have district-wide safety plans even though plans were mandated nearly 20 years ago.

New York Leads Nation in Nonprofit Jobs & Wages

New York led the nation in nonprofit employment with more than 1.4 million jobs and total wages of just over $78 billion in 2017, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. New York’s nonprofit organizations helped stabilize employment during and after the Great Recession.