We’ve all seen the cases on the news—another local government falls victim to fraud. Incidents of corruption in local municipalities—many involving the theft of staggering amounts of public funds—occur far too often for comfort. Fraud can take place even when an organization undergoes annual audits and implements preventive policies. So,

On July 31, Governor Hochul announced that over $21 million is now available for zero-emission mobility transportation solutions throughout the New York State. Local governments can submit proposals for demonstration projects aimed at developing and improving clean mobility options, with priority given to disadvantaged communities. The Climate Justice Working Group

Members of the governing board are responsible for developing and overseeing the municipality’s fiscal policies and operations. This article provides an overview of the fiscal responsibilities of board members, as outlined in the Local Government Management Guide by the Office of the New York State Comptroller. Developing Fiscal Policies Board

On July 4, the president signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), implementing many significant tax and spending policy changes. The law’s provisions are wide sweeping, encompassing policies on tax rates and incentives, education funding, healthcare programs, defense spending, and more. This article highlights some of the

Last updated on July 3rd, 2025The Office of the New York State Comptroller provides a “Financial Toolkit for Local Officials,” containing guidance and tools for use by local government and school district leaders in navigating financial processes. This article provides a brief overview of this guidance, along with links to

Last updated on June 16th, 2025Our last article discussed the concerns raised by the Office of the NY State Comptroller (OSC) over financial transparency and accountability in New York State Villages. The OSC report entitled “Transparency and Accountability of Fiscal Activities in Villages” indicates that many of the weaknesses in

Last updated on May 5th, 2025In December 2024, the Office of the NY State Comptroller (OSC) issued a report titled “Transparency and Accountability of Fiscal Activities in Villages.” The report examined financial transparency in the 532 villages that comprise New York State, specifically focusing on the villages’ accounting records and

Over the last several years, New York State has significantly expanded cybersecurity measures in response to the ever-growing threat of cyberattacks against local governments. Cyberattacks have led to data breaches, ransomware threats, crippling disruptions, and major financial losses for targeted government entities. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli stated the