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Op Ed
City Budget
Make NYC’s Retiree Health Benefit Trust More Trustworthy
May 25, 2016
The City of New York has a $70 billion liability for retiree health insurance costs and other post-employment benefits (OPEB), not including pensions. These benefits are contractually owed to retired city employees and are largely unfunded.
Op Ed
City Budget
A Mixed Budget Message
May 02, 2016
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s executive budget and accompanying four-year financial plan send a mixed message about New York City’s fiscal outlook. For the short term, economic performance and local revenues are exceeding expectations this year.
Statement
City Budget
Statement on the New York City Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2017
April 26, 2016
The Mayor’s new financial plan contains mixed messages of short-run optimism and significant new spending on the one hand and longer-term cautious revenue estimates and modest reserves on the other.
Op Ed
State Budget
What Will Be The Long-Term Impact Of The State Budget Agreement?
April 03, 2016
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed budget projected out-year deficits of $1.2 billion, $3 billion and $3.4 billion in state fiscal years 2018, 2019, and 2020 (before unspecified savings associated with adherence to a 2 percent state operating spending growth cap).
Testimony
Pensions & Benefits
Testimony on Health Care Savings Under Recent Collective Bargaining Agreements
Delivered to NYC Council Committees on Finance and Civil Service
February 26, 2016
CBC has been monitoring New York City's efforts to find health savings. CBC has long advocated negotiating changes to health insurance as part of collective bargaining and applauded the labor-management agreement that committed to meet annual savings targets.
Letter
State Budget
Recommendations on the FY 2017 Executive Budget
February 25, 2016
CBC offers recommendations for legislative action on the Governor’s Executive Budget for fiscal year 2017. The recommendations cover four proposals that deserve support, five proposals that should be modified, and four proposals that should be rejected.
Op Ed
City Budget
Mayor de Blasio's Citywide Savings Program: Too Little of the Really Good Stuff
February 24, 2016
In his second year de Blasio reestablished the practice under the new name of Citywide Savings Program (CSP). The resurrection has been uninspired; the CSP in the latest plan, released last month, is too small and includes too few efficiency initiatives.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on Curbside Residential Organic Waste Diversion Pilot Program
Delivered to NYC Council Committee on Solid Waste and Sanitation
February 04, 2016
Oversight Hearing on Local Law 77 – Until the City can address the high cost of residential garbage collection and secure adequate organics processing capacity, it should devise a more limited strategy.
Op Ed
City Budget
Reducing Organic Waste Without Increasing Costs
February 03, 2016
The Department of Sanitation's focus on organic waste is merited by the size of the waste stream (more than 1 million tons annually) and environmental benefits of reducing greenhouse gases through use of alternative disposal strategies, such as composting, rather than transport to distant landfills.
Testimony
Taxes
Testimony on Flaws in New York City's Real Property Taxation System
Submitted to the NYS Assembly Committee on Real Property Taxation
January 22, 2016
The two most significant issues are: 1) among residential properties, rental buildings are taxed more heavily than single family homes, and 2) within the two subgroups of residential properties—small homes and large rental buildings—property tax rates vary widely.
Op Ed
City Budget
What de Blasio’s Budget is Missing
January 21, 2016
The mayor’s plan increases spending without any increases to tax rates, thanks to rising property values and continued economic growth: Employment has reached an all-time high, real wages are growing and tourists are still flocking to the city in record numbers.
Op Ed
State Budget
A $15 Public-Worker Wage Will Cost a Lot
January 03, 2016
There is a growing movement in New York, led by low-wage workers and unions and now championed by Gov. Cuomo, to raise the legally minimum pay to $15 per hour — a sizable increase over the current statewide minimum of $8.75, which rose on Dec. 31 to $9.
Op Ed
City Budget
Reduce New York City's High Cost of Garbage Collection
September 28, 2014
Municipal garbage collection in New York City is exceptionally expensive - the Department of Sanitation's costs are more than double private-sector charges and much higher than collection costs in other cities.
Op Ed
Capital Spending
What New York Should Do With $4B
July 23, 2014
New York State will soon receive more than $4 billion in settlements from large financial institutions. It is an unprecedented windfall and it is generating discussion about what to do with the money.
Statement
Pensions & Benefits
Statement on Commissioner Linn's Response to CBC Letter on NYC Health Agreement With the MLC
June 09, 2014
The CBC appreciates receiving Commissioner Linn’s response to CBC President Carol Kellermann’s letter relating to potential savings from health insurance reforms under the recent agreement with the Municipal Labor Committee.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Proposes Guidelines for Determination of Health Insurance Savings Between City and MLC
Letter to Commissioner Robert Linn
June 05, 2014
This letter suggests guidelines for effective implementation of the agreement between the City and the Municipal Labor Committee to generate $3.4 billion in health care savings between fiscal years 2015 and 2018.
Op Ed
City Budget
Managing New York City Garbage Is Exceptionally Expensive
May 27, 2014
New York City Department of Sanitation's system for collecting and disposing of garbage is exceptionally expensive, and now is the time for the de Blasio Administration to address the problem.
Op Ed
City Budget
Issues Remain In Mayor de Blasio's New Budget
May 08, 2014
For months, the biggest fiscal uncertainty for the city has been how Mayor de Blasio would handle negotiations with the municipal unions that have been working without contracts.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Doulis: City, Teachers’ Agreement Resolves Major Uncertainty Around City’s Financial Plan
April 30, 2014
The tentative agreement between the city and the teachers union resolves major uncertainty surrounding the city's financial plan and ensures some stability in labor relations with a major segment of the city workforce for the next five years.
Letter
State Budget
CBC Recommendations on Tax Relief and Reform Proposals in Executive Budget
March 05, 2014
This letter expresses support for Executive Budget tax reforms, but recommends that action on the property tax relief proposals be deferred until their design is improved and the surplus necessary to sustain them is achieved.