In The News-New York State
New York’s Economic Outlook Improved Significantly: NYS Division of Budget Mid-Year Report
Tax Receipts Estimate Increased by $2.6 Billion
New York State’s economic outlook has improved significantly from the previous forecast in May, reflecting strong wage growth, continued stock market strength fueled by expected growth in the technology sector, and slower than expected impacts from the tariffs, according to the midyear report released by the State Division of Budget.
Based upon the revised economic outlook, strong withholding collections to date, and an improved finance and insurance bonus forecast, the Budget Division now estimates additional General Fund tax receipts of $2.6 billion in the current year and $5.3 billion in FY 2027 with comparable increases in subsequent years. These upward revisions to tax receipts in the Mid-Year Financial Plan more than offset the forecasted declines recognized in the FY 2026 Enacted Budget Financial Plan, the Division explained.
Below is a chart of the current project outyear budget gaps. According to DOB, if the FY 2027 Budget is balanced with recurring savings, the outyear budget gaps would be in the range of $6 billion to $8 billion, respectively. Governor Kathy Hochul will propose a FY 2027 Executive Budget by January 20, 2026.
The Report noted that despite the present positive outlook, the State continues to face economic risks and fiscal challenges. These challenges include legislation and policies, uncertainty and volatility caused by the ongoing Federal government shutdown and failure to pass a short-term concurrent resolution, a softening labor market, unpredictable tariff policies and concerns about the potential for a trade war, and the “inherent risk” of stock market concentration in large technology companies, DOB cited.
Comptroller DiNapoli: Recent Federal Actions Will Have Significant Impact on Higher Education in NY
Impacts from the recently enacted federal budget law, upcoming appropriations for federal fiscal year 2026, and executive actions since January 2025 risk undermining the strength and competitiveness of New York’s higher education sector, according to a new analysis from State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
“New York has long benefited from outstanding institutions of higher education that serve as anchors for our communities, employing tens of thousands of people, conducting world-class research and development, attracting new residents, training the workforce and bringing vibrancy neighborhoods,” Comptroller DiNapoli said. “Federal action on student aid, international student enrollment, and support for research threatens the ability of these institutions to serve as employers and innovators. It also impacts the ability of students to afford tuition. These threats pose financial challenges to the institutions and economic challenges to communities.”
Federal executive action has resulted in the termination or pause of a range of federal support including grants, contracts and other types of assistance, affecting research activity at institutions of higher education (IHE) in New York and elsewhere. One example is the cancelling of over 1,800 grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through June 2025. Recent court action has restored only a portion of these grants. Total research and development expenditures by New York IHEs in 2023 from all sources were $9.1 billion, second only to California, according to the analysis.
The Comptroller explained that provisions in Public Law No: 119-21, enacted in July, will impact college affordability and choice for many students by reducing students’ access to grants, amounts and types of loans, options for loan repayment and potentially, programs of study. Most provisions will become effective as of the 2026-27 academic year, impacting the thousands of New York post-secondary students that take out and pay back federal loans, including graduate students for whom loan options will become more limited.
In addition, a range of executive actions have affected international student enrollment in New York and across the country. This includes temporarily pausing new interviews of student visa applicants for review of their social media accounts and restricting the entry of nationals from 19 countries. International students pay full tuition and other costs; as such, their payments are an important source of revenue for universities and colleges, the Comptroller explained.
According to the analysis, in academic year 2023-24, there were 135,813 international students in New York, second in the nation. There were 22 IHEs in New York out of a total 238 nationwide hosting 1,000 or more international students, 11 of these in New York City. SUNY reports that 5.7% of its total Fall 2024 enrollment was composed of international students, 21,436 total, an increase of 1,118 from the prior year and almost 4,000 from Fall 2020.
In The News-New York City
Adams Administration Announces Opioid Overdose Deaths in the City Drop Significantly for First Time in the Past Decade
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Acting Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse this week announced new data released by DOHMH that shows a significant decrease in overdose deaths in New York City in 2024 — marking the first substantial decrease following a nearly 10-year period of increasing overdose deaths in the five boroughs.
According to DOHMH, there were 2,192 deaths last year, down from 3,056 in 2023, mirroring national trends, and overdose deaths decreased almost universally across demographic groups and neighborhoods in 2024. Additionally, residents of all five boroughs saw decreases in overdose deaths and, for the first time since 2018, overdose deaths decreased among Black and Latino New Yorkers; however, significant racial and geographic inequities persist.
“While we are finally seeing the needle move on fatal overdoses across the city, too many New Yorkers still continue to die from preventable deaths,” said DOHMH Acting Commissioner Dr. Morse. “As city leaders, we must be steadfast in our support of programs that save lives, while we continue to address historic disinvestment and other forms of structural racism. I am grateful for the tireless dedication of advocates, local providers, Health Department staff, and partners inside and outside government as we work to keep our communities and neighbors safe and connected to care.”
According to the Mayor, despite seeing promising decreases, inequities in overdose deaths still persist in New York City. Black and Latino New Yorkers each saw a 29 percent reduction in overdose deaths but died at twice the rate of their white counterparts.
Also, the Mayor explained, while the rate of fatal overdose decreased 24 percent among Bronx residents, the borough continues to have the highest rate of overdose deaths — at more than double the rate of Manhattan, the borough with the second-highest rate. The rate of overdose deaths among Staten Island residents decreased by about 49 percent. Residents of Hunts Point-Mott Haven, Highbridge-Morrisania, Crotona-Tremont, East Harlem, and Fordham-Bronx Park continued to see the highest incidence of overdose deaths in 2024.
Bills Approved by the Council
Introduction 29-A, sponsored by Council Member Amanda Farías, Requires the Director of the Office to End Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV), in consultation with the Fire Commissioner and Police Commissioner, to develop a training program for first responders on how to recognize and respond to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that may result from domestic violence.
Introduction 111-A, sponsored by Council Member Alexa Avilés, Requires the mayor or a designated office or agency to publish online and submit to the Council an annual report on NYCHA dwelling units that were vacant during the immediately preceding calendar year.
Introduction 1132-A, sponsored by Council Member Oswald Feliz, Requires the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) to coordinate with city agencies to develop and deliver regulatory compliance assistance to small businesses within each borough in New York City annually.
Introduction 1134-A, sponsored by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Requires agencies that collect demographic information from individuals through form documents to include additional race and ethnicity options.
Introduction 1146-A, sponsored by Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to maintain a Newborn Home Visiting Program that offers free in-person and virtual visits from social workers, nurses, and lactation professionals to new parents during the first 12 weeks postpartum.
Introduction 1231-A, sponsored by Council Member Chris Banks, Requires tax preparers to provide consumers with a receipt that includes an itemized list of all charges and fees.
Introduction 1285-A, sponsored by Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez, Requires the DOHMH Commissioner to establish a program to provide free doula services to people in marginalized neighborhoods in all five boroughs, to train individuals to become doulas.
Introduction 1290-A, sponsored by Council Member Julie Menin, Establishes a new license category for self-storage facilities, which would include the facilities that provide storage units for personal property and are accessible to the storage occupants.
Briefs
Governor Hochul Announces the Largest NYS Department of Transportation Paving Investment in History to Take Place in 2026
Governor Kathy Hochul is making an unprecedented investment to renew dozens of vital state roadways across New York State during the 2026 construction season.
Leveraging the $800 million that Governor Hochul secured in the most recent state budget to augment the final two years of its five-year, $34.3 billion Capital Plan, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will invest more than $600 million in over 180 paving projects across the state to be completed next year. These projects total almost 2,150 lane miles. The complete list of projects, broken down by region, is listed here.
NYS Works to Strengthen Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence
Governor Kathy Hochul this week detailed the State’s progress in strengthening law enforcement’s response to domestic violence and better protecting survivors and families via training for police recruits and current law enforcement professionals.
Beginning January 1, 2026, all recruits must complete a new Domestic Incident Response section of the required Basic Course for Police Officers. The 16-hour Domestic Incident Response curriculum emphasizes survivor-centered, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed policing. The curriculum:
- introduces lethality assessment training to help officers recognize indicators of escalating or potentially lethal violence.
- features interactive exercises, decision-based exercises and reality-based scenarios that prepare recruits for the complex nature of domestic incident calls.
- teaches trauma-informed interviewing techniques to help officers understand how trauma can affect survivors.
- addresses technology-facilitated abuse, such as cyberstalking and GPS tracking; and
- provides guidance on documenting and using digital evidence to strengthen investigations and prosecutions.
Developed by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) in partnership with the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, the curriculum was approved by the State’s Municipal Police Training Council last month.
Civil Service Titles Updated to Allow Work Experience as an Alternative for College Degrees
In an effort to increase employment opportunities to a broader range of New Yorkers, Governor Kathy Hochul this week announced that the Department of Civil Service has updated qualifications for hundreds of state jobs to allow for consideration of equivalent experience as an alternative for college degrees.
The Department of Civil Service modernized the minimum requirements for nearly 800 entry- and promotional-level civil service titles to allow equivalent experience as an alternative for college degrees when evaluating jobseekers. By combining experience-based hiring with degree-based hiring, New York is expanding opportunities for many jobseekers without diluting the quality of the candidate pool, according to the Governor.
The change, which will take effect this week, impacts close to 20,000 positions in 800 titles. These are currently filled by more than 15,000 employees across state government agencies. Of those titles, more than 600 of them are promotional titles open to current state employees, while more than 150 are entry-level titles open to the general public and are used by state agencies to fill professional job types across a wide range of disciplines.
State Launches $215 Million Housing Acceleration Fund to Move Shovel-Ready Projects
New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) this week launched the Housing Acceleration Fund, a $215 million program to speed up construction of shovel-ready mixed-income residential projects across New York State.
The fund includes the $100 million investment secured in the FY26 Enacted Budget which is matched by $115 million from awarded participating lenders. The Housing Acceleration Fund will provide low-cost construction loans to fill financing gaps in the construction of mixed-income housing developments. It is estimated to generate upwards of $1 billion in new housing investment throughout New York State.
The Housing Acceleration Fund awards are expected to result in approximately 1,800 new homes statewide. The awardees are: Community Preservation Corporation: $45.5 million; Merchants Bank: $42 million; Enterprise Community Partners: $7.5 million; and Local Initiatives Support Corporation: $5 million.
Half of the State’s $100 million investment is appropriated for projects within New York City and half is allocated to projects throughout the rest of the state. Awardees will provide $115 million in additional capital, bringing the total amount of funding for projects within New York City to $100 million and the amount for projects throughout the rest of the state to $115 million.
Mayor Adams Announces Pilot Program to Provide NYC Schools With 911 for Rapid Response to Active Shooter Situations
The Adams Administration this week announced that the City has launched the nation’s first pilot directly integrating public schools with 911 services for rapid response in case of an active shooter situation.
The new Emergency Alert System (EAS) created by the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) debuted at the Spring Creek campus in Brooklyn and is scheduled to be rolled out to a total of 25 school buildings, representing 51 public schools across the five boroughs during the 2025-2026 school year. EAS provides an immediate, secure, and automated pathway for public schools to directly alert 911 of a critical emergency associated with a hard lockdown involving a weapon-based threat or active shooter situation.
EAS can be activated from multiple fixed buttons and wireless lanyards within a school and can initiate a 911 response in under 10 seconds. Each school participating in the pilot will have multiple fixed buttons and wireless lanyards that can activate the emergency system during a hard lockdown sparked by a weapon-based threat.
Schools will have audible and visual indicators notifying students and faculty that 911 has been notified, and the school is on a hard lockdown. Additionally, electronic notifications will be sent to NYPD School Safety and New York City Public Schools officials.
Comptroller DiNapoli: Local Sales Tax Collections Total $18.2 Billion Through September 2025, Up Over 4.3% Over Prior Year
Local government sales tax collections totaled $18.2 billion from January to September 2025, an increase of 4.3% ($747 million) compared to the same period last year, according to the quarterly sales tax report released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
Findings from Comptroller DiNapoli’s report on sales tax collections from January to September 2025 include:
- Each of the 10 regions in the state, including New York City, had a year-over-year increase in collections.
- New York City’s sales tax collections totaled $8.1 billion, an increase of 5.7% ($441 million), year over year, while aggregate collections for the counties and cities in the rest of the state grew by 3% ($258 million).
- Outside of New York City, regional growth ranged from a low of 0.6% (Mohawk Valley) to a high of 4.3% (Western New York).
- Nearly 90% of counties experienced a year-over-year increase in collections, with close to one-third of counties seeing more than 5% growth.
- Hamilton County saw the highest growth at 12%, followed by the counties of Yates and Chenango (each at 10.4%), Delaware (10.3%) and Orleans (9.7%).
- Among the six counties that had decreases in collections, Sullivan had the steepest decline (-4.7%), followed by Schoharie (-4.4%), Livingston (-2.5%) and St. Lawrence (-2.1%)
- Over half of cities outside of New York City that impose their own sales tax experienced growth in collections. Norwich had the largest increase at 17.2%, followed by Salamanca (8.7%). Of the remaining eight cities that experienced decreases in collections, Utica had the steepest decline (-8.9%), followed by Gloversville (-7.2%) and Oneida (-5.3%).
Mayor Adams Announces First-Ever “Youth Apprentice” Civil Service Title
New York City Mayor Eric Adams this week announced a new “Youth Apprentice” civil service title, to help young New Yorkers launch careers in city agencies more easily.
Apprentices will receive on-the-job training in municipal agencies, classroom learning, and mentorship support. They will earn a competitive wage with benefits and annual increases, in addition to gaining the experience needed to qualify for higher-level, permanent civil service titles.
Up to 500 young adults at a time will be hired into the Youth Apprentice title for up to six years across city agencies. The Youth Apprentice program is a partnership between the New York City Office of Talent and Workforce Development (NYC Talent), the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), and New York City Public Schools.
NYC Council Approves Property Tax Rates
The New York City Council this week adopted the rates for property taxes for the period from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
The rates vary by property class. A report by Rosenberg & Estis, PC details the rates below:
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New York City tax bills were issued in June using the rates adopted for the 2024/25 tax year. The City Department of Finance will issue revised tax bills based upon the 2025/26 rate. Taxes payable in January for Class 4 properties will increase over the taxes that were due in July. Taxes for the other classes will decrease.
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Kingsbridge Armory Development Plan Approved by NYC Council
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, 8th Regiment Partners, and the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) this week celebrated the New York City Council’s approval of a plan to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx.
The first phase of the redevelopment will consist of a mixed-use development with a venue space, recreational space, cultural and commercial space, and over 25,000 square feet of dedicated community space and is centered around the 180,000-square-foot, column-free Drill Hall within the armory, expected to break ground in 2026 and be completed in 2030. The building will also include 125,000 square feet of community-owned manufacturing and space for community use. Phase two consists of the redevelopment of the adjacent National Guard site, which will create 500 units of “permanently-affordable” rental housing adjacent to the armory, expected to be completed in 2032.
The Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment is backed by a $200 million investment by Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul, $3 million from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, $12 million from New York City Councilmember Pierina Sanchez, and a $1.05 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with the support of Representative Espaillat. The construction will be executed under a project labor agreement.
The Kingsbridge Armory opened in 1917 and was used by the U.S. military until 1994, before reverting to city ownership in 1996. The armory was designated as a New York City Landmark in 1974 and placed on the National Register for Historic Places list in 1982. Over the last decade, the Kingsbridge Armory has served as an emergency supply and food distribution center following Hurricane Sandy, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and after the Twin Parks fire.
Coming Up
Voting in New York State
2025 General Election Early Voting
Early Voting: November 1st and November 2nd
Voting Days, Times & Locations
Voting hours of operation are provided by local County Boards of Elections.
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Early Voting | General Election
Sat, November 1, 2025 – Sun, November 2, 2025
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Election Day – Tue, November 4, 2025
Polls are open 6am-9pm. Find your poll site.
Meetings:
New York State
Monday, November 3rd
Assembly Public Hearing: Access to Residential Placements for New Yorkers with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,
Hamilton Hearing Room B, Legislative Office Building, 2nd Floor, Albany, 10 a.m.
New York City
*There are no meetings scheduled at the City Level at the time of this publication*