|
|
Saturday, April 17, 2021
Councilman Mark Gjonaj's NYC Moving Forward Week in Review - 4/16/2021
NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: 2020-21 Tax Revenues $3 Billion Over Projections
Tax collections for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2020-21 totaled $82.4 billion - $3 billion higher than forecast by the state Division of the Budget (DOB) in the Amended Executive Budget Financial Plan in February (latest projections), and $6.8 billion higher than forecast in May 2020 (initial projections), according to the March State Cash Report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Total tax collections for SFY 2020-21 were $513.3 million lower than the previous year.
“The state’s year-end financial position was significantly better than anticipated,” DiNapoli said. “We face a long road to recovery, and the state’s economy still faces serious challenges, both in the short-term and long-term. Better-than-anticipated tax collections, federal resources and new revenues in the recently adopted budget allow for important investments in critical programs and services, but state policymakers must ensure that spending commitments are in line with recurring revenue sources.”
Personal income tax (PIT) collections totaled $55 billion, exceeding prior year collections by $1.3 billion or 2.4 percent. PIT collections exceeded the latest projections by $1.9 billion and initial projections by $5.9 billion, even with $437 million more in refunds being paid in the last quarter than previously anticipated.
Consumption and use taxes, which include sales tax receipts, totaled $16.1 billion, falling short of prior year totals by $1.9 billion or 10.6 percent. Collections were $116.4 million higher than the latest projections and $643.4 higher than initial projections.
Business tax collections totaled $8.8 billion, which was $203.4 million lower than the previous year. Collections exceeded the latest projections by $614.4 million and were below initial projections by $164.6 million.
State Operating Funds spending totaled $104.2 billion, which was $2 billion, or 2 percent, higher than last year. The General Fund ended the fiscal year with a balance of $9.161 billion, an increase of $216.6 million from opening balance. DOB took the following actions at the end of the year:
- $3.1 billion was paid in debt service prepayments and debt defeasance, which was $1.5 billion higher than the most recent forecast;
- $918 million in payments were made to eliminate all remaining pension amortization costs;
- $692.8 million from the General Fund was used to support education aid to offset lower than anticipated receipts from Video Lottery Terminals, $448.8 million higher than the most recent forecast;
- $513 million in previously collected monetary settlements from financial and other institutions was transferred from the General Fund to the Dedicated Infrastructure Investment Fund, $617 million lower than the most recent forecast; and,
- $3.4 billion in debt service on short-term notes issued earlier in the year was paid as planned.
260 Days and Counting
Things are really crazy up in the Bronx. I thought the Bronx Democratic Party Leader had some influence, but that must have been County Leaders like Jose Rivera, Carl Heastie, and even Marcos Crespo, but now I understand why Crespo bailed for a high paying job with Montefiore Hospital.
Jamaal Bailey you are abandoning your district leaders, and they are abandoning their assembly members such as in the 80th A.D. Your undeclared Bronx Borough President candidate winds up at the bottom of the list, and your declared candidate for City Comptroller also is at the bottom of the ballot for that position, where former Bronx Assembly candidate Dion Powell (of all people) gets the number one spot for City Comptroller. Go Dion Powell, 'Powell for the People'.
Bronx Democratic Party - Join Team Benjamin and Senator Jamaal T. Bailey for a voter contact session
|
|
|
Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 40% of New Yorkers Have Received at Least One Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine
233,973 Doses Administered in the Last 24 Hours
Nearly 1.5 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days
Vaccine Dashboard Updated Daily on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that more than 40 percent of New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 233,973 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and nearly 1.5 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.
"We remain locked in a footrace between the rate of infection and the vaccination rate, and we are continuing to work around the clock to get shots in arms as quickly and fairly as possible," Governor Cuomo said. "Our vaccination efforts are going very well - we have opened hundreds of vaccination distribution sites across the state, we've expanded to universal eligibility and we are investing in public awareness and education to make sure every New Yorker knows the vaccine is safe and effective. However, we are still largely dependent on the supply from the Federal Government, and until we have reached herd immunity all New Yorkers must continue with the safe practices we know work to stop the spread."
New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.
The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:
- Doctor's letter, or
- Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or
- Signed certification
Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11 AM today is as follows.
STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN
Total doses administered - 12,872,765
Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 233,973
Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,485,899
Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 40.2%
Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 27.0%
Governor Cuomo Announces Lowest COVID-19 Hospitalizations Since November 30 April 16, 2021
Hospitalizations Drop to 3,884
868 Patients in the ICU; 543 Intubated
Statewide Positivity Rate is 2.81%
Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity Rate Drops to 3.04%--Lowest Since November 25
43 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped to 3,884, the lowest since November 30. The statewide 7-day average positivity rate dropped to 3.04 percent, the lowest since November 25.
"COVID-19 hospitalizations are down to their lowest level since November 30, which is basically Thanksgiving, so we are fully back to the point before the holiday surge. I want to make it especially clear that it is the actions of a community—the actions of individuals as a collective—that matter," Governor Cuomo said. "We know how the virus spreads, so it's a question of your behavior and the precautions you take. The more precautions you take, the fewer people get infected. We're at a point now where we've communicated all the information that we can communicate and everyone knows the facts. We've beseeched people to take it seriously, but it is now up to you. It's up to you as an individual, you as a family, you as a community. Our recovery is going to be a function of how many vaccinations we take, and I believe that there is a civic and community duty for individuals to take a vaccine. No one can be safe unless everyone is safe."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 232,929
- Total Positive - 6,555
- Percent Positive - 2.81%
- 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.04%
- Patient Hospitalization - 3,884 (-79)
- Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -467
- Patients Newly Admitted - 472
- Hospital Counties - 52
- Number ICU - 868 (-18)
- Number ICU with Intubation - 543 (-16)
- Total Discharges - 169,765 (+498)
- Deaths - 43
- Total Deaths - 41,391
Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation Establishing First-in-the-Nation Program to Provide Affordable Internet to Low-Income Families
Program Requires Internet Service Providers to Offer an Affordable $15 per Month High-Speed Internet Plan to Low-Income Households, as Proposed in the Governor's 2021 State of the State
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation establishing the first-in-the-nation requirement for affordable internet for qualifying low-income families, as proposed in the 2021 State of the State. This legislation requires providers operating in New York State to offer $15/month high-speed internet to low-income families across the state. New Yorkers qualifying for this affordable internet program include households who are eligible or receiving free or reduced-price lunch, supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, Medicaid benefits, the senior citizen or disability rent increase exemptions, or an affordability benefit from a utility. It also requires providers to report to the Public Service Commission annually on their offers and uptake. This new affordable internet program will impact seven million New Yorkers and 2.7 million households.
"High-speed internet is essential to our everyday lives, and as we continue to reopen our state and adjust to new norms that have been shaped by the pandemic, we need to make sure every household has access to affordable internet," Governor Cuomo said. "Remote learning, remote working, and telemedicine are not going away. This program - the first of its kind in the nation - will ensure that no New Yorker will have to forego having reliable home internet service and no child's education will have to suffer due to their economic situation."
Affordability is a key issue in the fight for universal broadband, as many families cannot afford to pay for broadband service in their homes. A basic high-speed internet plan, on average, costs more than $50 per month. Nationwide, 43% of those earning less than $30,000 are not connected to internet at home, and 26% of those making $30,000 to $50,000 remain unconnected at home. It closes to 8% unconnected for those making $75,000 or more. Meanwhile, nationwide only 66 percent of Black households, 61 percent of Hispanic households, and 53 percent of Native Americans living on tribal lands are connected to internet at home, compared to 79 percent of White households.
To further bridge the internet gap in New York, the State has partnered with Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation to launch ConnectED NY, an emergency fund to provide approximately 50,000 students in economically disadvantaged school districts with free internet access through June 2022.
In addition, Governor Cuomo launched the Affordable Broadband Portal to help New Yorkers find the affordable broadband programs in their area. This website also includes critical information about the FCC's Emergency Broadband Benefit Program ($50/month subsidy for broadband service, plus a one-time discount of up to $100 on computers and tablets).
Furthermore, New York State will conduct an in-depth statewide mapping study of broadband to identify the availability, reliability and cost of high-speed broadband services and report on its findings within one year. This study will map the quality -- not just the availability -- of coverage. This is part of the State's effort to make broadband accessible and affordable for all.
The Governor's comprehensive 2021 Connectivity Agenda builds on his work leading the nation in delivering equitable internet access for all New Yorkers. In 2015, the State undertook the largest and most ambitious broadband initiative in the nation, dedicating $500 million to broaden internet access statewide. This investment, coupled with regulatory reforms, expanded the reach of broadband so today 98 percent of New York households have access to high-speed broadband with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps. Furthermore, the Governor took critical steps to tackle the digital divide in schools by signing the 2014 Smart Schools Bond Act. This Act made $2 billion available to school districts across the state for technology devices and classroom enhancements to improve school connectivity, making it possible for schools to weather today's challenges of remote learning.
Attorney General James Releases Grand Jury Proceedings Related to the Death of Daniel Prude
New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings in her office’s investigation into the March 2020 death of Daniel Prude. The transcripts of the proceedings were released after a judge granted Attorney General James’ motion to unseal and publicly release them. This is the first time in New York history that grand jury proceedings in a case of a police-involved death have been made public.
“This nation has a long and painful history of injustice, and every day, we are working to create a fairer and more equal system,” said Attorney General James. “Our efforts to balance the scales of justice and ensure accountability can only go so far in the absence of transparency. We took the unprecedented action of seeking to release the grand jury transcripts because the public deserves to know what happened in these proceedings. As I have throughout my career, I will continue to use every tool at my disposal to shine a light in the corners of our system that have been hidden for too long.”
After impanelment, the grand jury convened on nine separate occasions between October 2020 and February 2021 for more than 45 hours in total. As ordered by the court, the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings have minimal redactions to protect the identities of the jurors and witnesses who testified.
Session One – October 28, 2020
Session Two – November 4, 2020
Session Three – November 18, 2020
Session Four – December 9, 2020
Session Five – December 16, 2020
Session Six – December 17, 2020
Session Seven – December 21, 2020
Session Eight – January 13, 2021
Session Nine – February 23, 2021
Attorney General James has a long history of pushing to change grand jury secrecy laws. Following the death of Eric Garner, then-Public Advocate Letitia James filed a lawsuit to release the minutes of the grand jury proceeding to ensure full transparency.