While a Federal standardized sales tax is being debated, in an effort to address a growing internet market, New York State continues its bi-annual authority to administratively approve requests for increased local sales tax to pay for the rising cost of health care and private sector pensions.  This seemingly mundane act of allowing counties, cities, and school districts to continue decade long practices of extending beyond the 3% local tax by an additional 1%, is made by fifty-two count

Local Governments are once again being forced to bear the cost of two Primary Day elections, one for Congressional races and a second for State races. In 2012 a Federal judge ruled that New York's September Primary was not in compliance with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, which ensures that military and overseas voter ballots are received in time to be counted. The judge ordered Congressional Primaries be moved from September to June to comply with the MOVE Act. But his decision did not impact State elections.