IBO’s review of New York City’s spending on antismoking programs finds that spending levels
have varied widely in recent years—and that after trending downward the local adult smoking rate has been increasing.
Preliminary data for fiscal year 2014 indicate the city received about $41 million in revenue from camera-generated redlight, bus-lane, and now speeding summonses, as well as $14 million in ticket revenue from traffic violations written up by police officers.
When Mayor Bloomberg presented his last budget plan in November, he noted that the city’s full-time and full-time
equivalent headcount had fallen by 15,368 since December 31, 2001. But staffing levels since the end of fiscal year 2002, tell a different story.
Over the last decade, the number of city residents receiving food stamps has more than doubled, while
public assistance recipients have decreased and the number of blind and disabled New Yorkers receiving
Supplemental Security Income benefits has remained flat.