Empire Center for Public Policy
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| name = Empire Center for Public Policy
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| formation = 2005
| founder = Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
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| type = Nonprofit public policy research
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| headquarters = Albany, New York
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| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Zilvinas Silenas https://www.empirecenter.org/publications/empire-center-board-names-zilvinas-silenas-president-ceo/
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|budget= Revenue: $1,038,917
Expenses: $731,440
(FYE September 2015){{cite web | url=http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/461/461987418/461987418_201509_990.pdf?_ga=1.98862750.1400465774.1487149181 | title=Empire Center for Public Policy | date= | website=Foundation Center | accessdate=15 February 2017}}
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| website = {{URL|http://www.empirecenter.org}}
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The Empire Center for Public Policy is a fiscally conservative think tank and government watchdog group based in Albany, New York.{{cite news|last1=Castillo|first1=Alfonso|title=Average LIRR employee's earnings in 2014 rose 27 percent to $106,000, report finds|url=http://www.newsday.com/long-island/average-annual-lirr-salary-up-27-percent-empire-center-report-finds-1.10650256|accessdate=11 August 2015|publisher=Newsday|date=July 17, 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Hammond|first1=Bill|title=Cuomo learns to stop worrying, and love the slush|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/bill-hammond-cuomo-learns-love-slush-article-1.2314704|accessdate=11 August 2015|work=New York Daily News|date=August 5, 2015}}
History
The Empire Center was founded in 2005 as a project of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. In 2013, the Empire Center was spun off from the Manhattan Institute, becoming an independent nonprofit organization.{{cite news|last1=Reisman|first1=Nick|title=Think Tank Empire Center Spinning Off From Manhattan Institute|url=http://www.nystateofpolitics.com/2013/10/think-tank-empire-center-spinning-off-from-manhattan-institute/|accessdate=11 August 2015|publisher=State of Politics|date=October 4, 2013}} The Center's stated mission is to "Make New York a better place to live and work by promoting public policy reforms grounded in free-market principles, personal responsibility, and the ideals of effective and accountable government."{{Cite web|url=https://www.empirecenter.org/about-the-center/|title=About the Center : Empire Center for Public Policy|website=www.empirecenter.org|access-date=2020-01-08}} The Empire Center is a member of the State Policy Network.{{Cite web|url=https://spn.org/organization/empire-center-for-public-policy/|title=Empire Center for Public Policy|website=State Policy Network|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}}
Policy areas
= State budget =
Empire engages in policy regarding New York state's spending and budget. Empire releases data regarding salaries and pensions of state employees and its impact on the state's budget. In 2018 Empire issued a report showing that over 3,500 state employees are paid more than Governor Cuomo's salary of $179,000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/3-000-state-workers-made-cuomo-179g-salary-article-1.3836530|title=Gov. Cuomo earned mere $179G salary last year — with 3,500 state workers taking home bigger pay|last=Blain|first=Glenn|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}} An Empire report disclosed that over 3,800 former state employees were paid annual pensions of more than $100,000 in 2016-2017, up 18% from the previous year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/number-retired-n-y-gov-workers-earning-100g-pensions-18-article-1.3378611|title=Six-figure 'taxpayer-supported' pensions for retired New York government workers up 18%|last=Blain|first=Glenn|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}} A 2016 Empire report highlighted excessive spending in education, such as 32 New York City educators who receive more than $200,000 a year in pay, including one employee who received a salary over $200,000 while also receiving a pension over $200,000 per year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/schools-chancellor-collects-200g-pension-200g-salary-article-1.2538259|title=Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña is collecting $200G in pension payments while taking a salary for leading NYC schools|last=Chapman|first=Ben|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}}
= Healthcare =
Empire's healthcare policy department regularly issues commentary, reports, and studies regarding healthcare reform and the state's healthcare budget.{{Cite web|url=https://www.empirecenter.org/advanced-search/?what=advanced-search&term=&cats%5B%5D=41&dtFromMonth=0&dtFromYear=0&dtToMonth=0&dtToYear=0&tags%5B%5D=health-care|title=Empire Center Advanced Search- Healthcare|last=|first=|date=|website=empirecenter.org|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cityandstateny.com/articles/special-list/power-100/2020-health-power-100-51-100.html|title=The 2020 Health Power 100; 51-100|last=i_beebe|date=2020-01-19|website=CSNY|language=en|access-date=2020-02-24}} The state has seen Medicaid costs surging, contributing to a several billion dollar budget deficit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/new-york-faces-deep-budget-hole/article_2755b12d-5bca-56c7-8391-025e91563304.html|title=New York faces deep budget hole|last=Reporter|first=JOE MAHONEY CNHI State|website=Press-Republican|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-new-york-faces-big-medicaid-cost-overruns-cuomo-stays-mum-11574288850|title=As New York Faces Big Medicaid Cost Overruns, Cuomo Stays Mum|last=Vielkind|first=Jimmy|website=WSJ|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.news10.com/news/ny-news/capital-region-think-tank-proposes-3b-in-medicaid-savings/|title=Capital Region think tank proposes $3B in Medicaid savings|date=2020-02-21|website=NEWS10 ABC|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-24}} In 2017 Empire issued a report on possible misdirection of the state's Indigent Care Pool, with private hospitals serving primarily non-indigent patients receiving substantial grants from the pool over hospitals serving primarily indigent patients.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/hospital-care-program-uninsured-distributed-unfairly-report-article-1.3504725|title=Hospital care program made to help uninsured distributed unfairly, report shows|last=Blain|first=Glenn|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}}
= Transparency =
Empire operates the website SeeThroughNY.net, a searchable database of employee payroll information for all public employees in the state, as well as pension, school and municipal union contracts, tax rates, and pork-barrel projects in the state.{{Cite web|url=https://www.empirecenter.org/publications/nine-years-of-seethroughny/|title=Nine Years of SeeThroughNY : Empire Center for Public Policy|website=www.empirecenter.org|date=5 September 2017 |access-date=2020-01-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lohud.com/story/taxes/2014/02/12/empire-center-1300-state-workers-made-governor-last-year/5412709/|title=SeeThroughNY: More than 1,300 state workers made more than the governor last year|website=lohud.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.news10.com/news/seethroughny-net-updates-hundreds-of-municipal-and-school-district-contracts/|title=Seethroughny.net updates hundreds of municipal and school district contracts|date=2019-12-19|website=NEWS10 ABC|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-08}} The website includes information comparing property tax rates, taxes paid, and share of public debt per resident across the state.{{Cite web|url=https://www.news10.com/news/the-empire-center-for-public-policy-makes-2018-new-york-benchmark-data-available/|title=The Empire Center for Public Policy makes 2018 New York Benchmark data available|date=2019-11-21|website=NEWS10 ABC|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.recordonline.com/news/20190508/regions-homeowners-among-hardest-hit-by-taxes-in-state|title=Region's homeowners among hardest hit by taxes in state|last=McKenna|first=Chris|website=recordonline.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}} Empire also tracks trends of population growth and loss in the state, including where former New York residents move to when they leave the state.{{Cite web|url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2020/01/which-florida-counties-have-the-most-recent-onondaga-county-transplants-maps.html|title=Which Florida counties have the most recent Onondaga County transplants? (maps)|date=2020-01-13|website=syracuse|language=en|access-date=2020-01-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.eveningtribune.com/news/20200103/i-leave-ny-14m-left-for-other-states-since-2010-heres-where-they-went|title=I Leave NY: 1.4M left for other states since 2010. Here's where they went|last=Team|first=Joseph Spector, USA Today Network New York State|website=The Evening Tribune|language=en|access-date=2020-01-15}}{{Cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/goodbye-york-california-illinois-hello-120017693.html|title=Goodbye, New York, California and Illinois. Hello … Where?|website=finance.yahoo.com|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-15}}
Empire sued the New York City Police Pension Fund for refusing to disclose names of former employees receiving pensions as required by the Freedom of Information Law. The court ruled that the names must be disclosed except for undercover police officers. The court found the disclosure of pensioners names helps to greater accountability and reduces pensioners double dipping, retiring to draw a pension while also working and receiving a full salary.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/pension-police-empire-center-1.35554433|title=Judge: Release names of NYPD officers getting pensions|website=Newsday|language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/showing-telling-finally-article-1.3825842|title=Showing and telling, finally: An expanding pension database shines vital light on public spending|last=Editorials|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}} The Pension Fund was also required to pay Empire's legal fees.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-pay-fees-group-sued-undercover-info-article-1.2957598|title=City must pay Albany nonprofit group's legal fees from its suit over withheld undercover cop information|last=Ross|first=Barbara|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}}
== MTA overtime controversy ==
Through Empire's transparency efforts, overtime abuse in the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) was uncovered.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-mta-money-report-overtime-20190423-pflof4jrkzemdcd76lu7w4nhj4-story.html|title=MTA subway fixes lead to soaring OT costs, agency moves to cut fat|last=Guse|first=Clayton|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}} Empire discovered that MTA's payroll grew by $418 million in 2018, a large portion of which was from a $119 million increase in overtime.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-mta-overtime-payouts-pat-foye-20190501-h2ssef4upbdijmcshxbyc4h4ie-story.html|title=MTA chairman says agency will look into surging OT payouts|last=Guse|first=Clayton|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}} $145 million alone was spent on overtime from the Subway Action Plan. Additionally, 256 employees earned more than $250,000 in 2018, up from only 150 employees the year before. It was discovered that employees were falsifying time records, some even reporting more hours than is physically possible to work.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-cuomo-mta-police-fraud-crackdown-20190512-shbvxhe7nvb6hcqciycdbkcspe-story.html|title=Cuomo defends MTA's use of police in OT fraud crackdown|last=Guse|first=Clayton|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}} One employee reported 74 hours of overtime alone per week and was paid over $450,000 for the year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/nyregion/mta-overtime.html|title=$461,646 in Pay for One Worker: M.T.A. Overtime Scrutinized by Prosecutors|last1=Dwyer|first1=Jim|date=2019-05-17|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-08|last2=Fitzsimmons|first2=Emma G.|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} Some Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) employees were using handwritten time records instead of electronic systems, which are easier to track and prevent abuse.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/nyregion/mta-overtime.html|title=$461,646 in Pay for One Worker: M.T.A. Overtime Scrutinized by Prosecutors|last1=Dwyer|first1=Jim|date=2019-05-17|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-08|last2=Fitzsimmons|first2=Emma G.|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wshu.org/post/mta-report-14-billion-overtime-paid-out-honor-system|title=MTA Report: $1.4 Billion In Overtime Paid Out Via Honor System|last=Williams|first=Nirvani|website=www.wshu.org|date=21 October 2019 |language=en|access-date=2020-01-08}} MTA had no reliable system for verifying hours worked. In order to control the excessive overtime, the MTA briefly deployed police officers to take attendance and oversee overtime of LIRR employees, which was met with outrage from union officials but defended by Governor Cuomo.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-mta-scrutinizes-worker-overtime-union-raises-specter-of-transit-strike-11557875907|title=As MTA Scrutinizes Worker Overtime, Union Raises Specter of Transit Strike|last=Berger|first=Paul|website=WSJ|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-08}} The controversy resulted in a federal probe{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/nyregion/mta-overtime.html|title=$461,646 in Pay for One Worker: M.T.A. Overtime Scrutinized by Prosecutors|last1=Dwyer|first1=Jim|date=2019-05-17|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-08|last2=Fitzsimmons|first2=Emma G.|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} and MTA Inspector General Barry Kluger stepping down from his post.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-mta-inspector-general-cuomo-retiring-overtime-investigation-20190524-gakcaaen6ndlxfmmaaxkuyjpoy-story.html|title=MTA Inspector General stepping down amid ongoing probes into alleged overtime abuses|last=Slattery|first=Denis|website=nydailynews.com|access-date=2020-01-08}}