Research Reports and Policy Briefs
A Draft Primer on the Property Tax Cap
NYSAC has updated our primer on key provisions of the State's Property Tax Cap to accomodate the latest information that we have from State agencies as well as new questions from county leaders.
To download a PDF of the report, click image or link:
Draft Primer on the Property Tax Cap
2010 Census Numbers
2010 Census Population Change Map
| From the U.S. Census Bureau: | 2010 | 2000 | Gain |
| United Sates Overall Population: | 308,745,538 | 281,421,906 | 27,323,632 |
By Region:
| Northeast | 55,317,240 |
53,594,378 | 1,722,862 |
| Midwest | 66,927,001 | 64,392,776 | 2,534,225 |
| South | 114,555,744 | 100,236,820 | 14,318,924 |
| West | 71,945,553 |
63,197,932 | 8,747,621 |
For More Facts:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/redistricting-data.php
Additional Reports
* The County Call to Cut Property Taxes (December 2010)
* Report on the Future of Farming in New York State (November 2010)
* A Time for Change: Medicaid Administration in NYS (October 2010)
* County Government Organization in New York State (2009)
Briefs
* State Local Pension Rate Setting Process (July 2010)
* Federal Health Care Reform: The County Perspective (April 2010)
It's Time to Change Medicaid
The best way for State leaders to reduce the burden facing property taxpayers in New York is to take homeowners and businesses out of financing the State’s skyrocketing Medicaid program.
NYSAC's Report on the State's proposal to take over Medicaid Administration was published in October 2010. It recognizes that if the State assumes full responsibility for Medicaid then there will be a dramatic corresponding reduction in property taxes and local budget pressures, far outweighing the benefits of any property tax cap proposal.
The report was developed by the NYSAC Presidential Commission on the State Takeover of Medicaid, which was created in response to language included in the 2010-11 State Budget directing the State Department of Health to develop a plan for the State to takeover Medicaid administration, a responsibility that currently sits with the 57 counties and the City of New York.
Medicaid administration only accounts for 2 percent of the total $52 billion the State spends on Medicaid each year. Currently property taxpayers fund $7 billion of the total cost of the State’s Medicaid program—and none of that covers Medicaid administration.
* For a copy of NYSAC's report, click here.
NYSAC Policy Brief Addresses Pension Rate Setting
With the state, counties and all local governments facing skyrocketing employer contributions rates for public employee pensions in the coming year, a frequently asked question has been: “If Wall Street is doing so well, and the assets of the pension fund are increasing in value, why are public employer contribution rates increasing so significantly?” This new NYSAC policy brief addresses this question by highlighting elements of the Common Retirement Fund that explain the process the New York State Comptroller uses to set annual employer contribution rates.
For the full policy brief click here.
Gathering Storm Outlines NY's Economic Challenges
NYSAC's research report "The Gathering Storm: Challenges Confronting the Future of New York" examines how the business climate and changes in population pose new challenges for our communities.
Excerpt: "There are warning signs everywhere of the gathering storm we are about to confront. The state’s population trends indicate that we are losing young families and have an aging population, an increasing percentage of who are senior citizens on fixed incomes. The state exceeds all of the national percentages of people living in poverty. At the same time, we are losing private sector jobs and business investments are on the decline...These challenges demonstrate clearly that New York State must fundamentally change the way it does business if the State is to prosper once more."
Click here for the full Gathering Storm report.
Click here for the Executive Briefing.