The Dream Act – Making It Work Without Breaking The Budget

The New York Dream Act can be a strengthening measure for New York’s future—with some major modifications. The key is to eliminate those provisions that result in greater benefits for the children of illegal aliens than tax-paying U.S. citizens while not losing sight of the fact that productive members of society will be contributors on a skill level and as generators of tax revenue for this country over the longer term.

The $450 Million Price Tag for Riker’s Island Project – Is it Criminal?

Construction costs for new housing in New York City remain the highest in the nation–and that includes inmate housing on Riker’s Island which is paid for with taxpayer dollars.

The estimated cost of a 1,500-bed detention center on Riker’s Island, as stated in the Request for Proposal, is $450 million. This translates into $300,000 per bed, substantially higher than other areas of the country. In South Carolina, for instance, a new 1,500 bed prison facility would cost approximately $73,000 per bed for a total cost $109.5 million if constructed this fiscal year, according to Sharon E. Scott, Manager for Architectural/Engineering Services at the Department of Corrections in South Carolina.

NYS Audits of MTA Reveal Wasteful and Costly Practices

MTA audits conducted by the State of New York Comptroller’s office in 2010 indicate that lack of management oversight, ill-conceived policies, sloppy record-keeping and rigid union demands at the MTA Bus Company and New York City Transit are at the core of the MTA’s budget woes.  Employee layoffs and service cuts should be a last resort in restoring profitability to the MTA.