Deals that come together quickly in Albany should always be viewed with some skepticism, but the one announced on Tuesday has a silver lining. If the temporary personal income tax hike is the price we pay for long-term reforms that enhance infrastructure, encourage job growth, make the state...

Congratulations to Governor Andrew Cuomo and his legislative colleagues for completing a session marked by significant fiscal accomplishments. Like a troubled student who has gone from repeated failure to a semester of commendable grades, New York State and its top elected officials should be praised for the change in direction...

The laws that authorize New York City's rent regulation system are set to expire on June 15, 2011. Expansion of rent regulations will not provide affordable housing to more low- and middle-income families in New York City and will only deepen and perpetuate the subsidy that families in unregulated housing...

There's a win-win opportunity for taxpayers and union members in reforming New York City's taxpayer-supported municipal union welfare funds. These little-known funds -- part of the City's compensation of municipal employees -- receive $1 billion in taxpayer contributions annually. Yet these payments serve neither the City nor its workers well....

If New York is to grow its way out of its economic and fiscal problems, it must take fuller advantage of all of its assets. One of its greatest - a network of public colleges and universities that reaches all parts of the State - has long been constrained by...

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is right when he says that, in the current fiscal crisis, it's crucial to avoid the mistakes of the 1970s. At that time, the City of New York continued to spend beyond its means and then was forced to dramatically cut the services and infrastructure maintenance that...