More On Advocacy
Search Within Advocacy
Showing 1 - 20 of 36
Statement
Transportation
Statement on Congestion Pricing
Stay the Course; Critical Needs to Ensure State of Good Repair
June 05, 2024
Congestion pricing is the transit trifecta—providing critical funding for transit, reducing emissions, and easing congestion. We should stay the course.
Testimony
Transportation
CBC Urges MTA to Publish TYNA Addendum Detailing Costs, Benefits of State of Good Repair Projects
Submitted to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
May 22, 2024
CBC again urges the MTA to publish an addendum—prior to the release of the capital program—that includes detailed estimates of the costs, benefits, and timelines, for all assets and investment needs in the categories of “Rebuild” and “Improve” the system, including those that bring assets to and keep the system in a state of good repair.
Statement
Pensions & Benefits
Statement on Proposed Tier 6 Benefit Sweetener as Part of State’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget
March 27, 2024
The proposed change to Tier 6 pension benefits, which will cost the State and local governments in New York nearly $400 million per year, is unnecessary, expensive, and should be rejected.
Testimony
Transportation
Public Comment on the Proposed Structure For the Central Business District Tolling Program
Submitted to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
February 29, 2024
While the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) has long held the position that there should not be credits for bridge or tunnel crossings, we believe the Traffic Mobility Review Board’s (TMRB) congestion pricing toll recommendations, as a whole, are reasonable.
Statement
Taxes
CBC Convenes Special Committee to Focus on Federal Tax Cuts
December 21, 2017
The Special Committee consists of CBC trustees, civic leaders, and policy experts, and will identify the greatest impacts and options for appropriate state and local government action.
Op Ed
Transportation
The MTA's Closely Guarded Secret
New Yorkers should be told how much it would cost to fix the entire transit system
December 19, 2017
At next month’s State of the State address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to unveil a congestion-pricing proposal that would generate a dedicated funding stream for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Letter
Transportation
CBC Urges Governor to Veto Two Free Transfers Legislation
December 14, 2017
CBC calls on Governor Andrew Cuomo to veto bill that would require the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to provide two free transfers between subways and buses within a two-hour period.
Op Ed
State Budget
Repeal the Film Tax Credit, But Don't Expect Savings Just Yet
Even if this wasteful program is killed in 2018, its expenditures will continue for years
December 13, 2017
The Citizens Budget Commission is a long-time critic of the New York State Film Tax Credit program and supports its repeal. However, due to some unusual provisions of state tax law, repeal of the credit will not yield immediate state savings.
Letter
State Budget
CBC Urges Governor to Veto Expensive Benefit Sweeteners
October 12, 2017
CBC calls on Governor Andrew Cuomo to veto 16 bills that would provide expensive enhancements to government employee and retiree benefits.
Statement
Transportation
Statement on the Mayor’s Proposal to Raise Revenue for the MTA
through an Increase in the NYC Personal Income Tax
August 07, 2017
Mayor de Blasio’s proposal to raise the top rate on the personal income tax is not an appropriate way to raise funds.
Op Ed
Transportation
Shared sacrifice to save the subways
It's not just the mayor and governor; transit workers and motorists must chip in, too
July 28, 2017
Neither the “city” nor the “state” is a person with a bank account: it is taxpayers who are being called upon to foot the bill. Motorists and workers should also share the burden.
Statement
Taxes
Statement on Property Tax Lawsuit
April 25, 2017
A judicial review based on objective evidence presented in a public forum can be a catalyst for constructive change of the seriously flawed NYC property tax.
Op Ed
Transportation
Funding Fares Should Be the City's Responsiblity
April 02, 2017
If the mayor supports the policy, it should be a priority that is accommodated within the city’s financial plan.
Letter
Transportation
Letter to MTA on Fare and Toll Increases
January 23, 2017
The MTA Board should continue the policy of regular and predictable fare increases.
Op Ed
Transportation
Make the MetroCard a gateway to opportunity, not a barrier
Transit should be half-price for the working poor
January 08, 2017
Half-priced metrocards for low-income adults should be paid for by the City, not the MTA. The City already supports reduced fares for the elderly and disabled.
Letter
Taxes
CBC Recommendations to the New York State Tax Relief Commission
November 26, 2013
This letter to the NYS Tax Relief Commission includes cautions about the State's ability to commit to large new property tax relief programs, and recommendations for providing better relief with the $4 billion the State spends on current programs.
Letter
Transportation
CBC Calls for Improved Budget Process, More Transparency at the Port Authority
July 16, 2013
The CBC urged the Port Authority to improve its budget process and make it more transparent. The letter offered six recommendations to resolve these problems, such as long-term planning, regular reporting, and detailed budgeting.
Op Ed
Public Workforce
The Next Mayor's Biggest Challenge
May 19, 2013
As the New York City mayor's race builds momentum, candidates are discussing a wide range of issues - but not how they would tackle the biggest challenge the next mayor will certainly face: negotiating municipal labor contracts.
Op Ed
Public Workforce
Finding a Better Way on Labor Bargaining
May 18, 2013
Taxpayers are at a disadvantage in collective bargaining with police and firefighter unions in New York state because of the way binding arbitration is done. The culprits are provisions of a statute, known as the Taylor Law, that expire July 1.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Reining in New York City's Skyrocketing Health Insurance Costs
April 17, 2013
The City's employee unions, whose contracts have expired, may prefer to wait and negotiate with the next mayor, but the election won't change the fiscal reality: the City's share of health insurance premiums for city workers and retirees is high in comparison to norms in the private and public sectors.