NY pension fund seeking investments in state

NY pension fund sets aside $400 million more for in-state private equity program

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- The New York Comptroller's Office says it has set aside nearly $400 million for new investments in businesses within the state from the nearly $159 billion Common Retirement Fund for public workers.

In a report on the fund's In-State Private Equity Program, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says $684 million of more than $1 billion available has been invested in 252 New York companies.

The report also shows $6.7 billion altogether has been invested by the fund coupled with the private equity firms that are its partners in those ventures, including $2.4 billion in upstate companies.

DiNapoli says that for every $1 from investments now completed the fund has made $1.60.

The Legislature created the program in 1999.

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