State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News - Disparities Remain for Workers with Disabilities Despite Labor Force Gains

 

 Disparities Remain for Workers with Disabilities Despite Labor Force Gains

A new report from Comptroller DiNapoli shows the labor force participation rate for those with a disability age 16 and over rose between 2019 and 2024, while it decreased for the state’s nondisabled workforce. Despite this progress, only 28.8% of individuals with disabilities participated in the labor force in 2024, less than half the rate of people in New York without a disability and below the national rate for people with disabilities.

“This year marks the 35th anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act and while we’ve made some progress, challenges remain and more effort is needed to ensure people with disabilities have equal opportunities in the workplace,” DiNapoli said. “Providing accommodations for workplace flexibility and encouraging employers to practice inclusive hiring can help improve employment outcomes for people with a disability. By championing inclusion, we create progress, prosperity and a stronger New York.”

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NYC Vehicle Fleet Meeting Fuel Efficiency Goals but Often Sidelined for Repairs

New York City has cut fuel use and emissions across its municipal vehicle fleet, but the average vehicle age is now the highest it has been since 2012, and aging emergency and service vehicles are increasingly sidelined for repairs, according to a report released by Comptroller DiNapoli.

The city operates a fleet of about 30,100 vehicles (owned and rented) and motorized equipment maintained and operated by more than 50 city agencies, mostly the Police Department and the departments of Sanitation and Transportation. These vehicles, including police and park vehicles, fire and sanitation trucks, and ambulances, support critical and daily emergency services throughout the city. In fiscal year 2025, the city spent $415 million on fuel and fleet repair, and over $400 million in capital funding for new vehicle acquisitions.

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Former Hoosick Falls Police Chief Charged with Stealing from Rescue Squad

The former officer in charge of the Village of Hoosick Falls Police Department and former chief of the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad was arrested for allegedly using rescue squad funds to purchase over a thousand dollars in tires for his personal vehicle, Comptroller DiNapoli, Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced.

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Three Individuals and Two Corporations Charged with Stealing Over $3.5 Million in Medicaid Fraud Case

Comptroller DiNapoli and Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that a Town of New Windsor couple were arraigned on an indictment charging them with Grand Larceny in the First Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree in connection with a scheme to defraud the New York State Medicaid program of millions of dollars. A co-defendant and two corporations were also arraigned on several related charges.

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Comptrollerpalooza! 2025

The Citizens Budget Commission hosted a conversation on New York's economy led by former NYC Comptroller and CBC Trustee William C. Thompson and CDC President Andrew Rein, featuring State Comptroller DiNapoli, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, and NYC Comptroller-Elect Mark Levine. The discussion centered on navigating the significant fiscal hurdles, including federal funding pressures, currently impacting both the city and state budgets.

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M U N I C I P A L  &  S C H O O L   A U D I T S

• Town of Elmira Fire District No. 1 – Long-Term Planning
• Richburg-Wirt Fire District – Board Oversight
• Town of Cherry Valley – Budget Review
• West Irondequoit Central School District – Emergency Drills
• Newark Valley Fire District – Audit Follow-Up
• Hunter-Tannersville Central School District – Audit Follow-Up

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S

• New York pension giant demands answers on Trump tariff impact
• New Yorkers with disabilities make up more of workforce in recent years, but challenges remain
• Fired Hoosick Falls officer-in-charge accused of stealing from rescue squad
• Hudson Valley trio indicted In record $3.5M NY Medicaid fraud case

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