Local Fiscal Stress
New York State's local governments have come under increasingly high levels of fiscal responsibility in recent years, resulting in stress for local governments. Through analysis of economic trends, focus groups and statewide surveys, we explore causes and responses to fiscal stress.
Supporting NY's Local Governments: Legislative Briefing
May 22, 2018, 12pm - 2:30pm, Empire State Plaza, Meeting Room 4, Albany
This legislative briefing will address the problem of fiscal stress among New York's local governments and the role the State Legislature can play in addressing these challenges.
What can NY learn from other states? What does the in-depth research on NYS show? We are seeing important shifts in intergovernmental relations, most recently with the Federal tax reform on SALT. How can NY best respond to these challenges?
Come share in a discussion of research by Cornell University, local government associations and policy think tanks.
Registration is free, but please register here so we know you are coming.
If you have any questions, please contact Catarina Massa at clm344@cornell.edu or Ron Deutsch from the Fiscal Policy Institute at deutsch@fiscalpolicy.org. See you there!
Additional Information:
Program Agenda
Issue Briefs:
Fix the Cap
A Municipal Toolbox
Michigan's Approach to Fiscal Crisis
Tax Abatements in New York State
Reports
Report of 2017 Statewide Survey of Local Government Responses to Fiscal Stress
Aldag, A., M.E. Warner and Y. Kim. (2017). What Causes Local Fiscal Stress? What Can Be Done About It? Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Focus Group Reports (2015): A report of focus groups on causes and responses to fiscal stress among local governments across New York State.
Facing Fiscal Challenges: Moving Towards a New York State and Local Government Partnership (2015) By Khadija Anjum, Hannah Bahnmiller, Hien Dinh, Alia Fierro, Jieun Kim, Yunji Kim, Jessica Masters, Disha Mendhekar, Kaitlyn Olbrich, Kyra Spotte-Smith, Mildred Warner, Keaton Wetzel, and Jubek Yongo-Bure
State Austerity Policy and Creative Local Response (2014): These reports approach the issues of fiscal stress from both a policy implication perspective and an examination of local government responses.
New York Property Tax Cap: Implications for Local Fiscal Health
NY Property Tax Cap Impact Analysis By Robert Rivera and Yuanshuo Xu, Cornell University
Tax Caps in Other States: Lessons for New York By Hector Chang and Christine Wen, Cornell University
NY Property Tax Cap Implications for School Districts By Deborah H. Cunningham, Director for Education and Research, NYS Association of School Business Officials
The Pension Problem
Myth or Reality? The State of Public Pensions in Upstate New York By Abigail Rivin and Yunji Kim, Cornell University
Sustainable Economic Development: Investments in People, Place and Business
Sustainable Economic Development: Investments in People, Place and Business By Elizabeth Agyeman-Budu, Becky Gitonga, Clint McManus, Derek Moretz, Marcelina Valdes & Xue Zhang, Cornell University
Collaboration between Unions, Citizens & Municipalities: Toward a Common Narrative
Collaboration between Unions, Municipalities, & Municipalities: Toward a Common Narrative By Sarah Cantatore, Zach Cunningham, & Michelle Muschett, Cornell University
Local Innovations in Public Service Delivery
Benefits of Well-Designed User Fees By Brian Byrd, Cornell University
Social Indicators for New York State Local Governments
Social Indicators for New York Local Governments By Ana Huckfeldt, Irene Hung & Roya Sabri, Cornell University
Chronic Underfunding for Transportation: New York State's Response to Local Infrastructure Needs
Chronic Underfunding for Transportation: New York State's Response to Local Infrastructure Needs By Danielle Burgess, Tyler Keegan, Daniel Kuhlmann, Taru, & Max Weisbrod, Cornell University
Upstate Case Studies (2014): These four case studies highlight the specific fiscal challenges and responses of four Upstate New York Cities. Could add one or two sentence description
Buffalo
Fiscal Challenges and Opportunities: An Examination of Fiscal Conditions, Innovations, and Regional Strategies in the City of Buffalo & Erie County By Nidhi Subramanyam, Paul Leonhardt and Elliot Sperling, Cornell University
Rochester
City of Rochester: From an Industrial City to a Knowledge-based Economy By Patience Milrod, Eithel Manrique and Barbara Marchiori de Assis, Cornell University
Syracuse
Weathering Financial Challenges through Strategic Partnerships By Katelin Olson, Alvaro Salas, Andrea Restrepo-Mieth and Dana Westgren, Cornell University.
Utica
Refugees and Revitalization - Taking a closer look at Utica's fiscal stress and opportunities for local solutions By Clint McManus and Nancy Sprehn, Cornell University
Additional Thematic Reports
Xu, Y. and Warner, M.E. (2015). "Understanding employment growth in the recession: the geographic diversity of state rescaling," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 8(1); 1-19.
Nidhi Subramanyam (2014). Can START-UP NY jumpstart the NY economy?, Department of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University.
Warner, M.E. and J. Clifton (2013). "Marketisation, public services and the city: the potential for Polanyian counter movements," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 7(1): 45-61.
Warner, Mildred E. and Lingwen Zheng. (2013). "Business Incentive Adoption in the Recession." Economic Development Quarterly, 27: 90.
Katz, B., & Bradley, J. (2013). The Metropolitan Revolution. How Cities and Metros Are Fixing Our Broken Politics and Fragile Economy. Washington: Brookings Institution Press.
Association of Towns of the State of New York
Meeting and Training Session: February 19, 2018, New York, NY
Fiscal Stress Survey; Overriding the Property Tax Cap; Leveraging Non-Profits - PowerPoint
Fix the Property Tax Cap - Issue Brief
State Austerity and Local Fiscal Stress Conference
Evidence from Wisconsin, Michigan and New York: December 1, 2017, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., 401 Warren Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
Registration (Free, but please register so we know you are coming.)
State Austerity and Local Fiscal Stress: Lessons from Wisconsin, Michigan & New York - PowerPoint, Video
Emergency Management in Michigan Cities - Issue Brief, PowerPoint, Video
Stressed Out - Kenneth Earl McLaurin, Jr. - Video (CaRDI Strengthening Communities Conference, September 29, 2017); Video (Cornell Local Fiscal Stress Conference, December 1, 2017)
Colloquium: Austerity, Michigan Cities, and the Future - Video, PowerPoint
Yunji Kim - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lindsey Smith - Michigan Radio
Karen Majewski - City of Hamtramck
Claire McClinton - Flint Community Organizer
Creative Responses to Stress in New York and Lessons from Other States
NYS Issue Brief, Infrastructure Issue Brief, Powerpoint, Video
Panel Discussion: Next Steps for Local Governments - Video
Barbara Van Epps - NYS Conference of Mayors
Chris Anderson - Association of Towns of the State of New York
Ron Deutsch - Fiscal Policy Institute
Media Coverage
Syracuse Mayor, Stephanie Miner, presenting "Cities: The Promise and the Peril" at the CaRDI Strengthening Communities Conference, September 29, 2017, Video
Discussion on local fiscal stress on Capital Tonight TV with Professor Mildred Warner and Ron Deutsch, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness and the Fiscal Policy Institute.
Professor Mildred Warner discusses the impacts of the property tax cap and possibilities for creative municipal response on the December 10th Talk 1300 show with Fred Dicker after the Local Fiscal Stress Conference. Click here and fast forward to 17:00.
State imposes a fiscal burden on communities. Click here to read commentary by Mildred Warner in the Albany Times Union.
Innovation Trail: Quality of Life, Infrastructure Investment Key to Urban Renewal. Click here to listen.
State Imposes a fiscal burden on communities. Albany Times Union, Commentary by Mildred Warner.
State of New York Cities and Shared Services Project profiled on the radio show, Capitol Pressroom. Click here to listen.
Will Detroit's Bankruptcy Come to Upstate New York?