New York’s counties, cities, towns, and villages frequently utilize local development corporations (LDCs) and other private entities for economic development and other activities. These LDCs and similar private entities are exempt from many of the constitutional and statutory provisions that guide the operations and financial transactions conducted by local governments, increasing the risk of waste, fraud, or abuse of taxpayer dollars or assets.

Compared with other states, particularly those in the South and West, significantly fewer subprime loans were issued in New York, although there are areas within the State where subprime mortgages were utilized more frequently. However, the number of home foreclosures in New York is increasing as more homeowners are faced with mortgages of all types that they can no longer afford.

Since the cost of electricity represents a considerable burden to local governments and their taxpayers, this report focuses on initiatives that reduce electric bills and the consumption of electricity overall, as well as the consumption of electricity generated through traditional methods.

As New York State struggles to meet the challenges of its current fiscal crisis, State policy makers must find ways to encourage growth in various sectors of the State’s economy to ensure the long-term fiscal health of the State. Small businesses – including those owned by minorities and women – are a vital part of that economy.

The Office of the State Comptroller administers the Justice Court Fund (JCF), a sole custody fund established in 1944 into which the revenues generated by the State’s 1,246 town and village justice courts are deposited.

This report provides an overview of financial and employment trends of the 116 active Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs) in New York State.

Chapter 128 of the Laws of 2012 amended sections 10 and 11 of the General Municipal Law (GML) to authorize local governments to use “reciprocal deposit” programs for their deposits and investments. The purpose of the amendment is to provide an additional option to local governments for obtaining coverage from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to secure their public deposits and investments.

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide guidance related to the accounting for Medicaid reimbursements paid by the Department of Health (DOH) and the resulting State Aid Deduction for those Medicaid reimbursements based upon a change in the Medicaid reimbursement methodology.

OSC has identified fraud or abuse in all types of local governments in every part of the state. Fraud and abuse have other effects besides the amount of money that is lost and unavailable for productive uses by government. They also have the corrosive effect of undermining the public’s trust and confidence in government. OSC audits can be a useful tool in identifying and stopping

This follow-up report expands the analysis of the previous report; updating annual local government financial data and contrasting that to the associated local financial infrastructure needs in the most recent New York State studies. It also draws upon a new series of interviews with local officials to assess how they are working to provide the best infrastructure possible to their residents.