Research Reports

Layers of Debt: Trends and Implications for New York’s Local Governments

New York State and its local governments maintain an extensive infrastructure critical to the economy, including roads, bridges, educational facilities, water and sewer systems and medical facilities. Most of this capital investment is financed through the issuance of long term debt. Investment in such infrastructure maintains and improves the vitality and economic well being of our communities.

Fiscal Stress Monitoring System Manual

This manual provides a basic discussion about the System while accompanying technical appendices provide details about the methodology OSC staff utilize in performing the assessments.

Fiscal Stress Close-Up Indicator Report

Fiscal Stress Monitoring System (FSMS) has five categories of indicators: fund balance, liquidity, short-term debt, operating deficits, and fixed costs. These indicators contribute to a local government’s final classification of Significant Stress, Moderate Stress, Susceptible to Stress or No Designation.

Report on the Justice Court Fund

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.

Industrial Development Agencies in New York State: Background, Issues and Recommendations

This report supplies context for the current policy discussion on Industrial Development Agencies (IDAs), details major process and accountability issues, describes efforts by the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) to improve reporting quality and provides a summary of statistical and financial information from 2004 IDA annual reports.

Fiscal Stress Drivers and Coping Strategies

Many of New York’s local governments are still struggling with the effects of the recent recession. The following report takes a look at how some of the drivers of fiscal stress have affected counties, cities, towns, and villages.