Here you'll find reports and consumer guides issues by PPEF and its research affiliates from 2000-2005. Reports are arranged from newest to oldest, categorized by the year they were issued. Reports issued prior to 2000 are not posted on the site at this time, but feel free to contact us if you're looking for something older.

2006
Inadequate state aid to public schools is jeapordizing the future of New York State's two million public school children and driving up local property taxes, according to a new PPEF report. Click here to read the report now! (PPEF. Release date 5/18/06)

2005
"The State of Our Schools in 2005: The Widening Funding Gap " This fourth report in a series shows that the State Legislature and the Governor in 2005 once again did not fundamentally reform the state's school aid formula to make it more fair to districts with large numbers of poor and other needy children, as madated by the landmark Campaign for Fiscal Equity decision. The report also projects that in future years, school districts will fall further behind if the Legislature and the Governor do not respond to the decision. (PPEF, Release Date: 12/22/05)

2004
"Hospital Financial Aid: Can New Yorkers in the Capital District Access Hospital Services Paid for by our Tax Dollars?" This report details a study of the financial aid policies at eight hospitals in the Capital District and issues a grade to each hospital based on how well they provide information to the public about financial aid eligibility. (PPEF. Release date: 11/12/04).

"No Funding, No Fairness: The State of Our Schools in 2004 Executive Summary." A brief summary of "The State of Our Schools" report. (PPEF. Release date: 10/4/04)

"No Funding, No Fairness: The State of Our Schools in 2004." This third report in a series shows that the State Legislature in 2004 did not fundamentally reform the state's school aid formula to make it more fair to districts with large numbers of poor and other needy children, as mandated by a landmark schools decision. (PPEF. Release date: 10/4/04).

"Half-a-Million and One Broken Promises."
Three and a half years after Governor Pataki and legislative leaders promised to provide health coverage for one million New Yorkers with revenue from a new cigarette tax, more than half a million working families are still waiting for health coverage, even though the state has collected the taxes. (PPEF. Release date: 7/14/2004).

"Report Card: School Funding Plans Fail to Receive an “A.'" The Public Policy and Education Fund (PPEF) released this report card grading the Governor, Senate and Assembly school funding plans based on statewide criteria developed by parents, educators and finance experts. Not one plan merited an “A” grade, and the Assembly’s plan, which was far more promising, received a “B." (PPEF. Release date: 6/9/04).

"The Color of Money in New York: Federal Campaign Contributions and Race."This new report shows that Blacks, Latinos and other people of color in New York are largely left out of the federal campaign financing system in New York. (PPEF. Release date: 1/13/04).

2003
 "Hospital Free Care: Can New Yorkers Access Hospital Services Paid for by Our Tax Dollars? A new consumer report card on New York hospitals found that it is almost impossible for consumers to access hospital charity care programs, even though New York State taxpayers provide $847 million a year to the hospitals, mostly for charity care. (PPEF. Release date: 10/01/03).

Along with the hospital report card, PPEF released a Guide to Hospital Free Care Programs, which includes information the surveyors were able to learn about the 70 hospitals rated in the Report.

 "The New York Asset Building Report Card: How New York Ranks Among the 50 States in Individual Asset Development." New York families are less equipped to weather an economic slowdown than families in any other state, according to a new report released by Citizen Action of New York. The report found that New Yorkers have fewer savings and lower net worth than the residents of all other states. (PPEF. Release date 05/19/03).

"Schools, Taxes and the New York Economy: An Economic Analysis of a Balanced Budget Alternative to the Governor's School Aid Cuts." A first-ever analysis of the economic impact of Governor Pataki's proposed school aid cuts shows that those cuts are "job killers." Restoring those cuts, even after taking into consideration the offsetting impact of an income tax increase to fund them, would be much better for the state's economy in both the short-run and the long-run, according to this economic impact analysis. (FPI and PPEF. Release date 04-24-03)

"Separate and Unequal: Pataki's Budget Cuts Hit Struggling Schools the Hardest." A new report finds that children in schools already deemed "in need of improvement" under the federal No Child Left Behind Act will be even MORE disadvantaged by Governor Pataki's budget proposal, which would reduce state aid for each child 45% more in these already-struggling districts than in other districts. (PPEF. Release date: 03/19/03).

2002
"Contract Capers: Excess Costs and Politics in MTA Contracting." A report by the Public Policy and Educaton Fund shows that the MTA has wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on outside contracts to rehabilitate subway stations -- and $289 million of the station rehab work is linked to companies that gave campaign contributions to Governor Pataki and the Republican Party.  (PPEF. Release date 12/12/02).

"Pay to Play? Campaign Contributions to Governor Pataki and Contracts from the Empire State Development Corporation." The report from the Public Policy and Education Fund, Citizen Action of New York's research affiliate, finds that Governor Pataki received campaign cash from Empire State Development Fund recipients. 26 companies gave contributions and received over $1 million each, and political contributions and contracts occurred within days of each other. (PPEF. Release date: 10/03/02).

"Real Campaign Finance Reform: An Analysis of George Pataki, H. Carl McCall and Tom Golisano's Campaign Finance Reform Proposals." This report from the Public Policy and Education Fund finds that Governor Pataki's campaign finance plan favors big donors; the analysis finds McCall's plan would cut money from big donors by 65%. Comparison Chart: McCall, Pataki and Golisano. (PPEF. Release date: 9/25/02).

The State of Our Schools (Part II): The Combined Effect of the 2001-02 "Bare Bones" Budget and the Proposed 2002-03 State Aid "Freeze." The second in a series of reports, this study of the effects of the Governor's proposed freeze in state aid finds that the funding decreases that occurred with the enactment of the “bare-bones" budget in August of 2001, just before the start of the school year, may portend a new and alarming trend of reducing the State’s commitment to its schools. (PPEF. Release date: 4/17/02).

"Capital Investments, Capital Returns: Corporate Tax Breaks and Campaign Contributions to Governor Pataki and the New York State Legislature, 1999-2001." A PPEF report finding that corporate campaign contributions to Governor Pataki and members of the New York State Legislature buy billions in tax breaks.  (PPEF. Release date: 3/12/02).

"Broken Promises, Broken Hearts."  This report from the PPEF finds that two years after the Governor and Legislature raised cigarette taxes to provide health coverage for one million uninsured New Yorkers, only a small fraction of those promised health insurance have actually received coverage.(PPEF. Release date: 2/14/02).

"The State of the Schools."  (PPEF. 1/7/02.) The first in a series, this report from the Public Policy and Education Fund finds that four out of five schoolchildren in New York State are receiving less state aid this year than last year, forcing school districts throughout the state to make serious cuts in educational programs, and making a mockery of the state's stated goal to raise educational standards.

2001
"The Money Marathon: Big Bucks and the Race for Governor in New York" This report from the Public Policy and Education Fund, Citizen Action of New York's research affiliate, finds that a handful of big donors, from a few major industries, dominate campaign contributions to the three leading candidates for Governor of New York.  (PPEF. Release date: 12/13/01).

"The Impossible Dream: Tax Credits are a 10-foot Rope for Uninsured New Yorkers in a 40-foot Hole."  (PPEF. Release date: 10/2/01)

"Superfund, Superbucks: Campaign Contributions from New York Superfund Companies."  (PPEF. Release date: 8/7/01)

"Your Savings or Your Health -- How Asset Limitations Harm Low Income People and What Can Be Done to Eliminate the Medicaid Asset Test."  (PPEF. Release date: 5/31/01)

"The Wealth Primary --Spending in the 2000 New York State Legislative Elections." (PPEF. Release date: 4/19/01)

"Upstate, Downstate -- How Schools Throughout New York Will Benefit From School Funding Reform" (PPEF. Release date: 3/12/01)

"Upstate, Downstate - Western New York Schools Will Benefit from School Funding Reform" (PPEF. Release date: 3/12/01)

"Upstate, Downstate -- How Southern Tier Schools Will Benefit From School Funding Reform." (PPEF. Release date: 2/22/01)

2000
Full Report:  "No Bid, No Coincidence -- Campaign Contributions and the Awarding of No-Bid Contracts in Nassau County."  Details how political contributors to Nassau County Executive Thomas Gulotta received more than $23 million of taxpayer money in no-bid County contracts. (PPEF. Release date: 10/24/00).

Executive Summary: "Capital Bargains, Capital Gains."  Details who gave to the New York State Legislature in 1999-2000, what they got in return, and why New York needs Clean Money, Clean Elections. (PPEF. Release date: 10/12/00).

Complete Report: "Capital Bargains, Capital Gains." (PPEF. Release date: 10/12/00)

Executive Summary "Your Right to Know About Managed Care: Are New York HMOs Following the Law? Part 3: Does Enforcement Action Against HMOs Work?"  (PPEF. Release date: 9/7/00)

Complete Report "Your Right to Know About Managed Care: Are New York HMOs Following the Law? Part 3: Does Enforcement Action Against HMOs Work?"  (PPEF. Release date: 9/7/00) HMO Report Cards