New York state and local governments last year spent a combined $11 billion on subsidies meant to spur economic development, a record amount since the budget watchdog group Citizens Budget Commission began tracking the spending. 

Total spending for economic development efforts, including tax breaks, could once again reach a record amount in 2025 of as much as $13 billion - a figure that includes money to encourage film and TV production in New York as well as green infrastructure. 

Subsidies that are meant to spur job growth and retention in New York have long come under fire from budget hawks on both the right and left in state government as they raise questions over their effectiveness. 

"This spending continues to increase even in the absence of evidence of its effectiveness," the group wrote. "With both New York State and New York City facing significant budget gaps in the coming years, policymakers should commit to thorough, data-driven evaluations of the effectiveness of economic development spending and commit to reforming, shrinking, or eliminating programs found to be ineffective."

New York state alone is facing a combined $36 billion in budget gaps over the next three years. 

The state significantly expanded the film and TV tax credit under an agreement in budget this May. Unions representing both writers and actors are currently on strike, impacting projects in New York along the way.