By Daniel Hemel, University of Chicago (THE CONVERSATION) New York authorities have opened an investigation into the Donald J. Trump Foundation to determine whether the president or his charity broke state tax laws. The state tax probe is just the latest example of the legal trouble the president's foundation faces. In addition, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood is suing the foundation for allegedly violating state laws governing charities. And she has alerted the IRS and the Federal Election Commission about the foundation's possible federal tax and campaign law violations. As a scholar of federal and state tax law, I believe that these allegations raise serious concerns about Trump's management of the charity that bears his name. I think it is unlikely, however, that the New York state investigation into the Trump Foundation will lead to any criminal charges. A civil lawsuit and a potential criminal probe … [Read more...] about As New York looks into whether the Trump Foundation broke the law, criminal charges remain unlikely: Guest opinion
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New York and New Jersey File Suit Against Trump Tax Plan
Sections SEARCH Skip to content Skip to site index New York Subscribe Log In Subscribe Log In Advertisement Supported by ByJesse McKinley July 17, 2018 ALBANY — Four states including New York and New Jersey sued the federal government on Tuesday over a sharp reduction in the deductibility of state and local income taxes, a central part of President Trump’s tax overhaul, saying that the change was an “unconstitutional assault” on their sovereignty. The suit, filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, had been promised for months, as Democratic leaders of several states denounced the president’s plans, including Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who had called the limits on such deductions an “economic missile” at the heart of New York, already a high-tax state, and its economy. On Tuesday, Mr. Cuomo reiterated that criticism and rhetoric in a news conference, saying that the Republican-backed plan is … [Read more...] about New York and New Jersey File Suit Against Trump Tax Plan
New York’s outdated scaffold law penalizes Gateway project
Fixing New York’s decrepit infrastructure is a high priority and includes crucial projects such as the $13 billion Gateway rail tunnel project under the Hudson River. But New York taxpayers will pay hundreds of millions in needless costs unless the outdated "scaffold law" is repealed. While New York, New Jersey and the federal government struggle to arrive at a formula for funding Gateway, New York clings to a 19th-century law that could add as much as $300 million in insurance costs. The vital project will build a new passenger-rail tunnel between New Jersey and Manhattan and then fix the two existing ones, which are more than a century old and badly in need of repair. With such a crucial project being jeopardized by a fight over funding, the last thing it needs is an inflated insurance bill. article continues below advertisement Blame the obsolete scaffold law, which is so outdated that its enactment in 1885 predates the Hudson River tunnels that need replacing. New … [Read more...] about New York’s outdated scaffold law penalizes Gateway project
Pol: Trump declaring ‘war’ on New York State
WASHINGTON — Many New York lawmakers took President Donald Trump’s recent threat to veto a must-pass omnibus spending bill if it includes $900 million for the Gateway program’s Hudson Tunnel and Portal Bridge as nothing less than a hostile act. “When you hear him say, ‘We’re eliminating one of the biggest infrastructure projects that can principally benefit New York and New Jersey,’ what is that but ‘I declare war,’ ” said Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans). “It is a complete slap in the face of New York.” Meeks and other New York lawmakers — most of them Democrats — said this is just the latest clash in a highly unusual public political battle of words and deeds between the lifelong New Yorker and New York State since he won the presidency. Much of the conflict is over the conservative and partisan Trump administration’s dismantling of Democratic initiatives, but it is also about New … [Read more...] about Pol: Trump declaring ‘war’ on New York State
New York paid out record $761.2M in overtime in 2017
ALBANY — An upstate prison nurse raked in a state-leading $153,708 in overtime in 2017, the Daily News has learned. With the overtime on top of her base $63,293 salary, Janet Johnson, a nurse at Franklin Correctional Facility, received $217,000 in pay in 2017, according to records provided by state Controller Thomas DiNapoli’s office. Johnson, according to the records, worked 2,445.5 hours of overtime last year, which equates to more than 65 extra weeks for work. All told, state overtime costs grew by 9.7% in 2017 over 2016. NYPD accused of 'collars for dollars' overtime scheme in trial The state paid out a record $761.2 million in extra pay, up from $694.2 million. The increase comes after state OT actually dipped in 2016 by 3.1%, the first time there was a drop in years. The Daily News under the state's Freedom of Information law requested from DiNapoli’s office information on the state's top 30 overtime earners and how much each agency paid out. Johnson … [Read more...] about New York paid out record $761.2M in overtime in 2017
Former Steuben County restaurant owner admits failing to turn over sales tax revenue to New York
A former Steuben County restaurant owner accused of failing to remit thousands of dollars in sales tax receipts to the state has pleaded guilty.Christopher Klee, 56, who owned Sonora's Mexican restaurants in Bath and Corning, pleaded guilty Monday in Steuben County Court to petit larceny, a misdemeanor.Klee also entered a plea of guilty to third-degree grand larceny, a felony, on behalf of his business, CKP Holdings LLC.As part of his plea, Klee paid $225,000 to the state Department of Taxation and Finance for unpaid sales tax, related penalties, and interest. Klee will be sentenced to a period of supervised release March 26 and will pay an additional $129,380 to the Department of Taxation and Finance as a condition of his sentence. Klee and his wife Kimberlee were indicted by a Steuben County grand jury in March 2017 on seven felony counts following an investigation by the Department of Taxation and Finance and state Attorney General's Office. … [Read more...] about Former Steuben County restaurant owner admits failing to turn over sales tax revenue to New York
In New York, Trump infrastructure plan prompts questions
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — If President Donald Trump needs help in picking projects for his $1.5 trillion infrastructure program, he needs only to look to his home state of New York, where the list of mega projects needing billions of dollars has been piling up for years. It's unclear however just how much — if any — new money New York can expect for its two most pressing transportation needs. The beleaguered New York City subway system needs extensive upgrades and repairs following decades of underinvestment. And a long-awaited Hudson River rail tunnel to New Jersey, critical for service throughout the Northeast Corridor, will require at least $13 billion. Of the $1.5 trillion, Trump's plan has relatively few new federal dollars — some $200 billion over 10 years. Cities and states that apply for grants could use the money for no more than 20 percent of cost of a project, using local taxes, fees, tolls or private investment to make up the rest. "Every federal dollar … [Read more...] about In New York, Trump infrastructure plan prompts questions
Cigarette traffickers cheated New York out of $25M in taxes: suit
A city lawsuit targeting illegal cigarette traffickers charges the illegal enterprise sent $25 million in New York tax revenues up in smoke. The 39-page suit, filed Wednesday in Manhattan Federal Court, accuses a North Carolina wholesale cigarette distributor and three Tar Heel state convenience stores in the lucrative scam. “These defendants allegedly cheated the city and state out of millions of dollars in revenue that should be used for the people of New York,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. “They also undercut law-abiding businesses that serve our neighborhoods and cannot compete with stores selling untaxed, cheap cigarettes.” According to the lawsuit filed by city Corporation Counsel Zachary Carter, wholesaler H&H Distributors peddled cartons of cigarettes to the trio of North Carolina retailers — with a state sales tax of $4.50 a pop. “The H&H defendants made those sales ... with full knowledge that the North Carolina … [Read more...] about Cigarette traffickers cheated New York out of $25M in taxes: suit
Senior GOP state lawmaker files to run for New York governor
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A senior Republican New York state senator has filed the paperwork to run for governor and is expected to formally launch his campaign on Tuesday. John DeFrancisco, a Syracuse attorney, was first elected to the Senate in 1992 and has emerged as a leading critic of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's record on taxes, spending and economic development. DeFrancisco has said for months that he is considering a campaign for governor. He is scheduled to announce his decision in Syracuse. "I think it's a fair assumption," spokesman Michael Lawler said when asked whether the paperwork filing means that DeFrancisco will run. "He'll make an official announcement tomorrow." DeFrancisco, 71, will face two other Republicans in the primary: Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb of Canandaigua and former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra. Two other possible candidates, businessman Harry Wilson and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, said this month that they would not run. … [Read more...] about Senior GOP state lawmaker files to run for New York governor
Gun Violence Costs New York Over $5.6 Billion A Year, Study Finds
The issue of gun violence has been haunting federal agencies in the United States for quite some time. According to reports, 90 mass shootings happened in the U.S. between 1966 and 2012, and in a dubious feat, the nation stood first with the most number of mass shootings in the world during the same period. This disturbing trend not just comes with a social cost but has an alarming impact on the country’s economy as well. According to a recent study by Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence — a group founded by former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, gun violence costs New York more than $5.6 billion a year. It may be noted that New York is one of the states with the lowest gun death rate in the country, thanks to a strong gun violence prevention law. The analysis was done based on data collected from the Centers for Disease Control. The research team found that on an average, New York witnessed 432 gun-related homicides, 473 gun-related suicides, 1,499 nonfatal … [Read more...] about Gun Violence Costs New York Over $5.6 Billion A Year, Study Finds