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DiNapoli: Pandemic Hit to Sales Tax Revenue Threatening Fiscal Health of Local Governments

New York’s municipalities collected nearly $17 billion in sales tax revenue in 2019, representing 9.7 percent of all local government revenue, according to a comprehensive report on local sales tax released today by State Comptroller DiNapoli. Every county and city in the state, along with many towns and villages, depend on these funds to pay for essential services and operations, revealing the statewide impact of the revenue losses from the pandemic.

DiNapoli: Westchester Sisters Admit to Stealing $22,000 of Deceased Mother's Pension Payments

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced the convictions of Annette Bigelow, 60, and Mary Nash, 59, who hid their mother’s death to collect nearly $22,000 in her state pension payments from 2013 to 2015. The two Westchester County residents each pleaded guilty to one count of felony grand larceny in the fourth degree.

DiNapoli Announces 2019 Fiscal Stress Scores

Twenty-two local governments were designated in fiscal stress for 2019, according to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System (FSMS). The scores were based on financial information reported by local governments operating on a calendar year basis (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) for 2019 (pre-pandemic). In New York, that includes all counties and towns, 44 cities and 10 villages.

DiNapoli: Mount Vernon Officials Failed to Establish Basic and Routine Financial Policies

The City Council of Mount Vernon did not have adequate financial information for the effective management and fiscal oversight of city operations because officials failed to file annual financial reports, provide interim financial reports and issue audited statements. In addition, they did not have financial information available to develop multiyear financial or capital plans, according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

DiNapoli: Local Sales Tax Collections Down 7.8 Percent in August

Local government sales tax revenue declined by 7.8 percent in August compared to the same period last year, according to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. August’s sales tax collections totaled $1.3 billion for counties and cities, or $111 million less than in August 2019.

This drop in revenue is similar to the decline in July of 8.2 percent, though much less extreme than the early months of the pandemic when sales tax collections plummeted by double digits.