I received the following e-mail that may be of interest:

Dear New Yorker,

I am excited to inform you about some new interactive web features on the Office of Taxpayer Accountability (OTA) website. The first feature is called "Straight Talk from the Taxpayer." Straight Talk allows you to submit, discuss, and vote on ideas to cut government spending, streamline government operations, save taxpayer dollars, and provide local property tax relief. My staff will review these ideas for inclusion in taxpayer savings reforms. You can access this feature directly by clicking here.

Recently, the OTA established Twitter and Facebook accounts to provide an opportunity for more widespread and regular communication with taxpayers. You can follow the OTA’s progress on Twitter by clicking here, and you can become a fan on the OTA Facebook page by clicking here.

We have also launched EmpireStat, a new, data-based government performance and accountability system. Through EmpireStat, taxpayers will be able to monitor work and progress through monthly reports and other information and data posted on this web page.

As businesses use interactive web-based IT to generate innovative ideas directly from their customers; our customers – the hard-working taxpayers of New York – should also have a say in the way we spend taxpayer dollars and provide services. I hope you join in our efforts to reform and streamline State and local government, and please let us know how you enjoy these new interactive web features.



Best,


David A. Paterson
Governor of New York State
The website is: http://taxpayer.ny.gov/