Admin

State Contract and Payment Actions in July and August

In July and August, the Office of the State Comptroller approved 3,988 contracts for state agencies and public authorities valued at $7.0 billion and approved more than 5.1 million payments worth nearly $24.4 billion. The office rejected 577 contracts and related transactions valued at $1.5 billion and nearly 4,500 payments valued at more than $28.3 million, primarily for mistakes, insufficient support for charges, and improper payments. More information on these contracts and payments is available at Open Book New York.

DiNapoli: Former Citizens Hose Fire Company Treasurer Arrested for Stealing More Than $100,000

A former treasurer of an Ontario County fire company was arrested for allegedly stealing over $100,000 from the company over a four-year period, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Ontario County District Attorney James Ritts, and Ontario County Sheriff David Cirencione announced today. The defendant, Jill Havens, who served in the Citizens Hose Company in Shortsville, was charged with Grand Larceny.

Missing School: New York’s Stubbornly High Rates of Chronic Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism rates among New York public and charter school students increased sharply as schools transitioned back to in-person learning after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided and remained high with nearly one in three students chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year. The rates were higher for high school students at 34.1%, 7.6 percentage points more than elementary and middle school students.

DiNapoli: Nearly 1 in 3 Students Were Chronically Absent From School

A new report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli details how chronic absenteeism rates among New York public and charter school students increased sharply as schools transitioned back to in-person learning after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided and remained high with nearly one in three students chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year (SY). The rates were highest for high school students at 34.1%, 7.6 percentage points higher than elementary and middle school students.

An Economic Snapshot of Coney Island and Brighton Beach

Brooklyn’s Coney Island and Brighton Beach have earned global reputations as destinations, but the dramatic rise in jobs over the past decade is less well known. Despite the pandemic, there were 35,203 jobs in Coney Island and Brighton Beach in 2023, a 101% increase from a decade earlier. The area is home to one of the largest populations of individuals 65 and over among neighborhoods citywide, and recent economic growth has been tied to serving this population.

The Cost of Living in New York City: Transportation

Transportation costs for households in the New York City metropolitan area grew by about 56% between 2012-13 and 2022-23, less than in the Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco metropolitan areas. Transportation made up the second largest cost for New Yorkers, behind housing. It remains critical to maintain MTA service at affordable levels, so that transportation costs remain relatively affordable and offset housing costs, especially for lower- and middle-income households.

DiNapoli: NYC Metro Transportation Costs Rose 56% Over Past Decade, Slower Than Other Major Areas

Transportation costs for households in the New York City metropolitan area grew by about 56% between 2012-13 and 2022-23, less than in the Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco metropolitan areas according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Transportation made up the second largest cost for New Yorkers, behind housing, at 14% of household spending.