This report on the use of overtime by New York State agencies examines patterns over the past ten calendar years. The total cost of overtime in calendar year 2019 was over $806 million, covering roughly 18.4 million overtime hours worked.
Guarding against the investment risks presented by climate change while preparing for the transition to a low-carbon economy is central to Comptroller DiNapoli’s work as trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund, one of the largest public pension funds in the country.
Many New Yorkers enjoy buying Lottery tickets and taking a chance on a big prize. Some play the slot machines and other games in the State’s eight Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) facilities, four commercial casinos and seven Native American casinos. Sports wagering and interactive fantasy sports are now part of the gambling picture, and traditional betting on horses continues at racetracks and off-track betting locations.
The New York State Legislature amended the State Finance Law in 2015 by adding a new Section 8-c, which provides for the establishment of a statewide electronic system to help detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse in government spending and to help avoid improper payment of public moneys.
The New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) is one of the largest public pension funds in the nation, with assets held in trust for the benefit of the more than one million members and pensioners of the New York State and Local Retirement System (System). The System is widely regarded as one of the nation’s best-managed and best funded public pension plans.
Every year, certain issues emerge as particular challenges in the State Budget. Clearly, among the most difficult this year is the structural budgetary imbalance in the State’s Medicaid program.
New York State has experienced difficult budgets many times over its history. Seldom if ever, however, has the State faced the level of economic and revenue challenges identified in this year’s Enacted Budget Financial Plan as a consequence of the COVID19 pandemic.
The Office of the State Comptroller estimates that the State’s tax revenues will decline by 5.6 percent or $4.7 billion in SFY 2020-21 compared to the previous year. Such revenues are projected to grow by 1.6 percent in SFY 2021-22, and to increase by 4.3 percent in SFY 2022- 23
In October, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 1,469 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $44.7 billion and approved nearly 12.4 million payments worth nearly $12.4 billion. The office rejected 112 contracts and related transactions valued at $2.2 billion and nearly 7,800 payments valued at more than $21.7 million, primarily for mistakes, insufficient support for charges, and improper payments. More information on these contracts and payments is available at www.openbooknewyork.com.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that are supposed to prepare high school students for future employment are often failing to ready students for jobs that are in demand, are fast-growing, or pay higher wages, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
