Fiscal Policy Institute

08/05/2026

New York can generate most of the revenue needed for truly universal childcare by updating its regressive payroll tax.

1) Remove the earnings cap of $95,300
2) Broaden the base to include all wages + self-employment income
3) Eliminate the tax for

Mayor Zohran Mamdani's universal child care plan for New York City faces a $5 billion funding gap, requiring new taxes or spending cuts to meet ambitious goals.

08/04/2026

In Financial Times, FPI responds to a widely cited but wildly misleading claim about business taxation in the US.

Coverage of Mayor Mamdani's "Open for Small Business" says that NY businesses face the US's highest tax rate. However, no small businesses pay this tax.

From Andrew Perry, Director of Fiscal Research, Fiscal Policy Institute, New York, NY, US

07/31/2026

“My guess about it is that this was basically the state giving CMS a small win without hurting anyone,” FPI's Health Policy Director Michael Kinnucan tells Crain's New York Business, noting that enrollment moratoriums are not very effective, unless officials have a plan to detect fraud.

The pause, effective Thursday, will remain in effect for at least six months.

07/25/2026

Federal cuts to SNAP and Medicaid will only get worse next year.

In the next state budget—6 months away—New York must raise new revenue to prevent catastrophic coverage loss.

Emily Eisner joined Capital Tonight on Spectrum News NY1 Thursday to discuss.

07/23/2026

“New Yorkers deserve effective and timely government action on critical priorities from street safety to technological progress. Too often, though, excessive review and outdated procedures obstruct city action, slowing progress on a range of issues. The COGE report charts a path towards a more efficient, more effective government that can expand the range of services New Yorkers enjoy,” —Dr. Emily Eisner, Fiscal Policy Institute.

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07/16/2026

Last week, the New York State Comptroller’s office unveiled a dashboard tracking taxpayer migration patterns.

This release coincided with a spate of public commentary claiming that high taxes on the state’s highest earners drive the wealthy out of New York and into fast-growing low tax states.

FPI research, however, demonstrates that this claim is not empirically justifiable.

A more granular look into the data shows that households in the top 1% leave New York at the lowest rates—and that households impacted by the state’s two most recent tax increases showed no heightened outmigration in response.

Trend-monitoring tool masks sharp turnaround in outmigration rate as incomes reach the top 1%. View as PDF On July 10, the New York State Comptroller’s office unveiled a dashboard tracking the 2015–24 in- and outmigration patterns of state income tax payers by

07/09/2026

Today in the New York City Policy Forum, Luke Herrine outlines how NYC’s Office of Financial Empowerment could be re-tooled to teach financial self-defense—instead of "bank propaganda."

By joining with the Office of Mass Engagement, it could hold "rental rip-off"-style hearings to initiate disputes with predatory creditors.

Turning a Bloomberg-era program into a tool for collective power

06/12/2026

On Tuesday, 6/16, FPI's Health Policy Director Michael Kinnucan will speak at this Public Health Solutions webinar on navigating the NYS budget—discussing how funding decisions impact services, workforce capacity, and health outcomes in the state.

RSVP —> https://healthsolutions-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F-Ky2TJHTtCl1VUxnX0hyA #/registration

Join us for a webinar on the New York State Budget as part of our Public Health Under Pressure event series.

Bringing together public health leaders, community-based organizations (CBOs), and government representatives, the conversation will break down key funding decisions, highlight gaps, and explore how these choices will impact services, workforce capacity, and health outcomes of everyday New Yorkers.

The discussion will also connect state-level decisions to real-world implications—examining how the budget shapes the work of CBOs, influences priorities in New York City, and signals what may lie ahead for local public health systems.

03/24/2026

While the Assembly and Senate one-house budgets move to increase healthcare provider funding, they have largely failed to address an impending coverage crisis for New Yorkers.

470,000 New Yorkers are scheduled to lose health insurance coverage beginning this July due to the Essential Plan cliff, a crisis left unaddressed in both one-house proposals.

Meanwhile, Federal approval of the State’s Essential Plan transition has unlocked $2.5 billion in state revenue—funding that could fully cover the affected population and mitigate the impacts of Medicaid work requirements.

As we approach the final stages of budget negotiations, legislators have a clear choice to make: prioritize provider interests or protect healthcare coverage for nearly half a million New Yorkers.

Download PDF Key Findings Neither the Assembly nor the Senate one-house budget address the coming Essential Plan cliff, which will cause 470,000 New Yorkers to lose health insurance this July. The federal government’s approval of the State’s Essential Plan transition proposal will generate an