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Institute Update

May 2011

Latest Research
Cracks in the Crystal Ball cover art

"States' Revenue Estimating: Cracks in  

the Crystal Ball"  

States Gain in Taxes, but Locals Lag 

States' tax revenues finished 2010 strong, with 7.8 percent growth in the fourth quarter and solid gains continuing in early 2011, this Institute report shows. Tax collections by local governments, however, declined. Read the news release or the report (PDF).

Errors in Revenue Estimates Grow   

States have been making more serious errors in estimating their revenues during tough economic times, according to a report by the Pew Center on the States and the Rockefeller Institute titled, States' Revenue Estimating: Cracks in the Crystal Ball. Read the news release or the report (PDF).   

 

Job Services for Needy Clients: What Works?     

Low-income clients who receive cash assistance through TANF program often seek job services at Workforce Investment Act (WIA) career centers. This report (PDF) finds common characteristics at centers where TANF and WIA coordination has brought success.  

  

Public Policy Events

May 19: Expanding Public Health Insurance

"Expanding Public Health Insurance Under the Affordable Care Act: What New York Might Learn from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont" will feature speakers from states neighboring New York, and response from New York officials. For more information, including how to register, click here.

May 26: New York State Budget Outlook 

New York State Budget Director Robert Megna will provide an update on the state's fiscal position. For more information, including how to register, click here.

 

Challenges as the World Grows Older  

Q&A: Impact of an Aging Society. 

Jackson (left) and Scardamalia discuss the impacts of an aging society.

Decreasing birth rates and longer life expectancies are causing a major demographic shift around the world. Experts Richard Jackson and Robert Scardamalia discussed the international trend in aging and its potential impacts on government budgets and policy
at an April 13 public policy forum co-sponsored by the Institute and Albany Guardian Society. Access video, audio and a summary of the event here.        

 

Budgets & Public Employee Unions 

Public-employee compensation and collective bargaining rights are front-burner issues as states prepare budgets. A March 9 public policy forum forum featured E.J. McMahon of the Empire Center and Frank Mauro of the Fiscal Policy Institute. A debate between former New York State legislators Richard Brodsky and John Faso was held March 23. Click the following links for information from the March 9 forum featuring Mauro and McMahon, or the March 23 debate between Faso and Brodsky.

 

Ongoing Projects

Institute Advises Governor's Commission 

The Institute is working with Governor Andrew Cuomo's newly appointed Spending and Government Efficiency (SAGE) Commission, charged with developing plans to restructure state government. The group's goals include saving taxpayers money and improving the delivery of government services. Read the Governor's press release

 

Publications and Presentations
Erika Martin

Erika Martin

Psychotropic Drug Coverage for HIV patients   

State programs that provide medications to HIV patients differ in how quick they are to cover drugs for mental illness. Erika Martin, of the Rockefeller Institute and Rockefeller College, and Colleen L. Barry, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, found three factors associated with that difference. Their results are published in the April 14 online issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Read an abstract.  

 

State and Local Financial Update

It will be a long road to fiscal recovery for the states after the recent recession, which was far worse than past recessions, Senior Fellow Donald Boyd told the Annual Meeting of the Government Investment Officers Association on March 18. View his slide presentation (PDF).  

 

Our Researchers
Courtney Burke

Courtney Burke

Former Health Policy Director Leads Agency 

Courtney Burke, director of the Institute's Health Policy Research Center, was selected by Governor Cuomo to serve as Commissioner of the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. Burke brings extensive knowledge of health care policy and government to the position, having conducted research at the Institute for 10 years. Read the release on her nomination, which has been approved.

 

Institute in the News

The Wall Street Journal: "State Tax Collections Tick Up"  

The Wall Street Journal covered the release of the Institute's latest State Revenue Report, noting that state tax collections continued to increase in the early part of this year. Read the story (PDF)

 

Fortune: "Hedge fund returns won't save public pensions"  

Fortune magazine reported that state pension funds are putting more money into higher risk investments. Donald Boyd, a senior fellow at the Institute, explained what led up to a current situation in which many funds have obligations they can't pay. Read the story (PDF).  


KNPR, Nevada Public Radio: "Medicaid Cuts"  

KNPR's State of Nevada program examined proposed cuts to Medicaid in that state's budget. James Fossett, a senior fellow at the Institute, contributed his expertise on how state and federal governments work together to administer Medicaid.

Listen to the discussion

The Economist: "Meanwhile in New York ..."  

The Economist looked at Governor Cuomo's interest in getting public employee unions to make concessions to achieve savings in the state's budget. The magazine interviewed Institute Deputy Director Robert Ward, who said the Governor was picking his fights strategically.  Read the story (PDF).


More news stories

 


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