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Growth by Spending Line

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Visuals in this post: Labor's Share of the Budget Growth by Spending Line Raises vs. the Reserve Overtime Pension Contributions Union Density
data.nycuriosity.com › Public Sector Unions 2026 › Growth by Spending Line
Budget September 2026

Health insurance and wages outgrow the budget while pensions shrink

The June 2026 financial plan has city-funded spending growing 16.1% from fiscal 2026 to fiscal 2030. Health insurance grows 21.4% and salaries and wages 19.1%. Pension contributions fall 19.3% because the State let the City stretch out its payments.

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Health insurance and wages are set to grow faster than the budget, and pension payments shrink

Projected change in city-funded spending by line, fiscal 2026 to fiscal 2030, in the June 2026 financial plan, with each line's dollars in both years at right. Wage figures assume 1.25% annual raises after current contracts expire.

  • Labor costs
  • Other spending
  • All city-funded spending
Source: Office of the State Comptroller, Review of the Financial Plan of the City of New York (August 2026), Figure 19 Note: Growth computed from the fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2030 dollar figures in Figure 19.

The pension decline reflects the 2026 State budget, which let the City stretch out payments on its unfunded pension liabilities. The State Comptroller notes that contributions in fiscal 2033 through 2037 will be significantly higher than under the old schedule.

Sources: Office of the State Comptroller, Figure 19, "Trends in City-Funded Spending in the June 2026 Financial Plan."