July 5, 2011.  Comments on USDA's proposed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) regulations implementing the eligibility, certification and employment and training provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill. In general, USDA's overall approach to the Food, Conservation and Energy Act (FCEA) provisions is laudable. However, these comments outline several important changes should be made in the final regulations. Without these changes, the regulations would fall far short of what the legislation intended and would miss important opportunities to improve the program for the millions of Americans who rely upon its help to meet their basic food needs.

April 12, 2011.  SNAP Benefits in Paul Ryan's Budget Plan: The Impact on New York's Counties. A new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) points out that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's budget plan would cut the SNAP program (formerly known as food stamps) by $127 billion - almost 20 percent - over the next ten years (2012-2021), $8.78 billion in New York alone. FPI has estimated the impact on New York City and each of the counties outside New York City.

September 28, 2010.  Hundreds of millions at stake for New York’s working families: Current tax debate to determine future of key work-supporting tax credits. Low- and moderate-income New Yorkers have a huge stake in the tax debate now going on at the national level: over $600 million annually in work-supporting tax credits. Enhancements to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) that were made by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will expire at the end of 2010 unless extended by Congress. A new report from the Fiscal Policy Institute reviews the workings of these two tax credits, how they were changed by the Recovery Act, and why those changes should be made permanent. Press release >> and full report >>

September 21, 2010.  Federal Tax Policy at a Crossroads. This policy brief compares the distributional impacts on New York taxpayers of President Obama's plan and an alternative plan laid our in the Senate Republican leadership bill S.3773 - and looks at the impact of the same two proposals on programs and services. Conclusion? There are five reasons that the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy should be allowed to expire as scheduled, and the modifications of those tax cuts enacted as part of the Recovery Act should be made permanent.

June 30, 2010.  Testimony by David Dyssegaard Kallick before the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Senior fellow David Dyssegaard Kallick testified at a public hearing held by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to hear ideas from members of the public. He spoke about the relationship between immigration and economic growth and about the importance of federal support for state and local governments.

June 8, 2010.  Groups Call Upon Schumer and Gillibrand to Restore Medicaid and COBRA Health Insurance Funding. This press release from coalition partners highlights FPI's analysis of the impact on New York State and New York City of a 6-month extension of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's increased share of state Medicaid costs. The groups also call for extension of ARRA's assistance with COBRA premiums.

June 8, 2010. Extending the State Fiscal Relief Provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The federal government's failure to extend its increased share of state Medicaid costs would leave New York with an additional $1.06 billion in state budget cuts - on top of the cuts already on the table as part of Governor Paterson's 2010-2011 gap closing plan. FPI calculates that if the state decided to fill the additional $1 billion dollar gap through workforce reductions, the number of layoffs would be in the 15,000-16,000 range. Another alternative, reductions to Medicaid reimbursement rates, would result in large numbers of hospital and nursing home layoffs and would seriously undermine patient care.

May 19, 2010.  Extending the TANF Emergency Contingency Fund Would Bring More Dollars and Jobs to New York. To help needy families during the Great Recession, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, created a $5 billion Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF) within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) federal block grant program. The TANF ECF has brought $935 million in new federal dollars to New York over the last year. With the nation continuing to experience high unemployment rates, an extension of the ECF past its current September 30, 2010, expiration date is essential. Also see FPI's earlier publications on the TANF ECF.

December 17, 2009.  Recovery Act Keeping Roughly 419,000 New Yorkers Out of Poverty. New estimates released today by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) are based on seven provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that directly affect individuals: three tax credits for working families, two unemployment insurance expansions, an increase in food stamps, and a one-time payment for retirees, veterans, and people with disabilities. Not only is the Recovery Act is creating jobs, helping close state and local budget gaps, and boosting the broader economy, it is also softening the recession's impact on poverty by directly lifting family incomes. Press release with link to study >>

June 11, 2009.  New Federal Dollars for New York: The TANF Emergency Contingency Fund in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This ongoing series of briefs from the Fiscal Policy Institute looks into the rules governing the new Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF), reviews New York's experience with the regular Contingency Fund, and explores the situations under which New York may qualify for ECF funds.

May 26, 2009.  Federal Fiscal Relief Is Working as Intended: The Cases of New York and Virginia. This study from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities profiles the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in New York and Virginia. The experience of these two states suggests that the state fiscal assistance in the economic recovery legislation is having its intended effect: enabling states to balance their budgets with fewer cuts in public services that would harm residents and further slow the economy.

February 26, 2009. We're All in This Together: Federal, State, and Local Governments All Have a Part to Play in the Economic Recovery. The National Association of County Administrators asked FPI's Frank Mauro and James Parrott to write the lead article for The Journal of County Administration, December 2008/February 2009. The article stresses that while the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides a significant lifeline to the states at a critical point in time, it will not completely eliminate the need for some painful budget balancing actions by state and local governments. The key challenge for the states is finding the mix of spending cuts and/or tax increases that will do the least harm to the state’s economy. PDF of journal issue.

January 20, 2009.  The Obama Stimulus: An $825 Billion First Step. By James Parrott, FPI's deputy director and chief economist, who writes regularly for Gotham Gazette's Economy section.

September 8, 2008.  Bush Administration Rule Would Force Health Centers to Close: Congress Urged to Block Hostile Rule and Provide Temporary Fiscal Relief Through Medicaid. FPI and others point out the wide-ranging negative impacts of the new rule, and ask for support for a one-year moratorium and for inclusion of a temporary increase to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) in the second emergency supplemental stimulus package. Press release, letter to members of Congress.

February 20, 2008.  President’s budget reflects wrong priorities for New York. FPI's release showing the detailed impact of President Bush’s $1.7 billion cut to New York for 2008-09.

October 31, 2007.  FPI senior economist Trudi Renwick participated in a telephone press conference organized by Citizen Action and the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities to illustrate the impact of a budget veto on New Yorkers' vital human needs. Read ECAP's press release and report.

October 29, 2007.  Difference between the President's Budget and House Appropriations: Impact on New York State for Selected Programs. President Bush has threatened to veto an array of appropriations bills because they provide funding for domestic programs above the levels he requested in his budget. Adopting the president's budget request would mean significantly less funding in some key domestic programs that provide critical services to a broad swath of families and communities - less than the House has appropriated, less than the amount needed to keep pace with inflation and in some cases, even less than 2007 levels. This brief includes CBPP estimates of the difference in funding for New York for some of these programs.

October 16, 2007. FPI senior economist Trudi Renwick spoke at a 30-year anniversary recognition of the Food Stamp Program sponsored by the Nutrition Consortium of New York State, the NYS Child Care Coordinating Council of NYS, FOCUS Churches, Empire Justice Center, and FPI. The event was a call to action to strengthen the Food Stamp Program through the 2007 reauthorization of the Farm Bill. Press release from the Nutrition Consortium here and letter to Senators Schumer and Clinton here.

July 15, 2007.  The Fight over Federal Appropriations: Impact on New York State. In this issue of Fiscal Policy Note$, FPI takes a look at the struggle in Congress over domestic discretionary spending, and finds that the modest increases under consideration cannot be characterized as fiscally irresponsible, especially when compared to decisions currently being made on other parts of the budget. Press release here.

July 6, 2007.  The Public Cost of Privatized Medicare: How Medicare Advantage is hurting Medicare beneficiaries and other New York taxpayers. A report from FPI and Citizen Action New York finds that a privatized Medicare plan is costing taxpayers $709 million in excess premiums. Press release here.

May 16, 2007.   Stretched Too Thin: Food Stamp Benefits in New York State. A report showing the erosion of the food stamp benefit since 1996, and that the failure to correct this erosion will affect each county in the state. Press release here. Press coverage here.

February 21, 2007.  First Things First for New York: The President's Budget Makes the Wrong Choices for New York. An analysis of the impact of the President's 2008 proposed budget on New York, released in collaboration with Citizen Action of New York, the Coalition for Human Needs and the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities. Press release and summary table here.

February 7, 2007.  The President’s 07-08 Budget: What It Means to New Yorkers. The budget released on February 5 by President Bush pays for massive tax cuts for the rich by cutting services and programs for the poor. The President's proposals balance the federal budget only on paper, and make it harder for New York to balance its budget.

June 28, 2006.  99 Percent of New Yorkers Lose Under Bush "Tax and Borrow" Fiscal Policies.

June 5, 2006.  Sorting Estate Tax Fact From Fiction:  New Data from IRS Shows that Only 1.6% of New York Estates (and Only 1.2% of All Estates Nationally) were Subject to Taxation in 2004.

For more information, please see Government Policies and Programs in FPI's research and analysis archive.