Spending by New York State's largest public authorities jumped $3.5 billion since last reported in 2013, according
Meanwhile, the combined debt of state and local authorities topped a quarter of a trillion dollars, the report said.
Of the nearly $60 billion spent, DiNapoli found that state public authorities spent $38 billion in their last reported fiscal year, while local authorities reported spending $21.5 billion.
DiNapoli's report found that New York now relies on public authorities to undertake most of its borrowing -- called "backdoor borrowing" -- because it circumvents a state constitutional provision restricting the issuance of general obligation debt without voter approval.
The last two enacted state budgets combined anticipated more than $650 million in budget relief from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the New York Power Authority and others, essentially shifting costs from the general tax base to those who use authority services.
Five years after the last major legislative public authority overhaul, DiNapoli's report identified troublesome issues at several public authorities.
They include the investigation of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey by several law enforcement agencies over "Bridgegate," or the closing of George Washington Bridge access lanes in Fort Lee, N.J..; the Thruway Authority's indication in late 2013 that a toll and finance task force would be created to identify new resources to help pay for the new Tappan Zee Bridge; and the Long Island Power Authority's reduction of oversight for its service provider.
