Sometimes it seems like a fool’s errand to keep repeating myself, but rebenchmarked annual average Current Employment Survey data has been released for 2010, and is available back to 1990 based on the current industry classifications. And Census of Population data has been released for 2010. What it shows is that while the City of New York has chosen, or been forced, to be somewhat fiscally responsible (with the exception of state deals favoring the public employees who commute in from the suburbs), the rest of the state seems to be run by 10,000 Mayor John Lindsays. Meanwhile, the substantially government-funded Health Care and Social Assistance sector (mostly the former, mostly for seniors), expands relentlessly, while State of New York agencies are downsized relentlessly.
From 1990 to 2010, New York City’s population increased by 11.6%, but its private sector employment excluding the substantially government-funded Health Care and Social Assistance sector edged down 0.5% (12,600 jobs). But its Local Government employment fell by 4.3% (20,500), with a gain of 7.7% (10,700) in Elementary and Secondary Schools (from a low base relative to population) more than offset by a decrease in other categories. The population of the rest of the state increased by just 5.0%, and its private sector employment excluding Health Care and Social Assistance fell by 4.2% (138,900 jobs). But its Local Government employment increased by (22.2%). That’s 121,400 future pension recipients, whose Florida retirement and health insurance will have to be paid for by someone. Employment grew both for the schools and other categories. No wonder New York State cut the city’s municipal aid to zero. There are lots of people elsewhere whom the world owes a living, but the world isn’t going to be paying.
