More On Advocacy
Search Within Advocacy
Showing 1 - 20 of 39
Op Ed
Energy & Environment
Align Our Fiscal Policies to Meet Our Climate Goals
September 25, 2020
The concurrent public health, economic and fiscal crises serve as stark reminders of the need to prepare for the future and potential risks.
Statement
State Budget
Statement on the Medicaid Redesign Team Recommendations
March 19, 2020
The MRT had a difficult task to do with little time, and deserves credit for soliciting public feedback, considering hundreds of proposals, and rising to the challenge of proposing significant reforms and savings without recommending tax increases.
Testimony
Health Care
Public Comment Submitted to the Medicaid Redesign Team II
March 02, 2020
CBC offers these recommendations to the MRT and hopes they also guide State leaders when adopting the fiscal year 2021 budget.
Testimony
Pensions & Benefits
The Health Care Savings Agreement: A Look Back and a Look Forward
Testimony Submitted to the New York City Council Committees on Finance and Civil Service and Labor
November 29, 2018
Savings to health benefit expenditures are crucial to attaining labor settlements that are fair and reasonable for both City employees and taxpayers.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
Governor Cuomo Should Veto Costly Employee and Retiree Benefits
A Letter to the Governor
November 27, 2018
CBC Recommends veto of A8164-b/S3770-b, A8402-b/S6435-b, A9909/S7705, A9910/S7704, and A10735/S7933.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Update on the City’s Organics Collection Program
Testimony Submitted to the NYC Council Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management
September 20, 2018
Because of low participation and inadequate organic waste processing capacity, the organics collection program is not ready for citywide expansion.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Pension sweeteners a bitter prospect for New York City
New York Daily News
June 15, 2018
The City Council adopted a budget for fiscal year 2019 that totals almost $90 billion. Almost $10 billion will be devoted to pensions for public employees, and the amount is projected to grow. And yet, for some, this is not enough.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony on the Department of Sanitation's Waste Characterization Study
Submitted to the New York City Council Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management
April 24, 2018
CBC testimony on the fiscal and policy implications of changes in the waste stream on the City’s waste management system.
Op Ed
City Budget
How New York City Can Afford Fair Fares
Slowing the growth of the city’s workforce would provide the needed savings
April 16, 2018
The Fair Fares proposal can be accommodated within the city budget by exercising greater restraint in hiring and more aggressively tackling inefficiencies in its operations.
Letter
Housing
NYCHA's Project Labor Agreement Needs Evaluation
A Letter to the Mayor and NYCHA Chair
March 05, 2018
Has the PLA between NYCHA and the BCTC delivered on expected savings? An evaluation is needed before any decision to renew the PLA.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Encourages Governor Cuomo to Veto Ten Benefit Enhancement Bills
August 08, 2016
A letter to the governor recommending the veto of 10 bills passed by the legislature that are expensive enhancements to government employee and retiree benefits.
Op Ed
City Budget
The “20-20-20-20” Dilemma
The Need to Curtail New York City’s Legacy Costs
August 03, 2016
A giant and rapidly growing slice of the New York City budget pays for "legacy costs" - pensions, retiree health benefits, and debt service - which already exceed 20 percent of the budget and will expand by 20 percent to more than $20 billion in annual spending by fiscal year 2020. But the City can take steps to deal with it.
Op Ed
Health Care
Improving Medicaid Further In New York Is Challenging But Vital
June 20, 2016
The State’s Department of Health and its Medicaid Redesign Team have developed and implemented strategies that have yielded significant quality improvements and savings, but much more is needed.
Op Ed
City Budget
The Rapidly Rising Cost of City Workers
New York City Employees Get $138,000 in Pay and Benefits, and Rising
June 09, 2016
The mayor and City Council quickly came to an agreement on the details of an adopted budget for fiscal year 2017, but little attention has been paid to spending projected over the course of the five-year financial plan. We ought to focus, and hold onto our wallets.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony to Reducing Food Waste in New York City
Submitted to NYC Council Committee on Solid Waste and Sanitation
June 07, 2016
Unless residential trash collection costs are reduced, new program costs will greatly overwhelm any potential savings from landfill reduction. A significant expansion of food waste collection may also outpace regional processing infrastructure.
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.
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
State Budget
More Bang For NY's Buck
December 27, 2011
As Governor Cuomo prepares his executive budget, he should seek structral changes that slow down the state's most potent cost-drivers (pensions, school aid and Medicaid), halt additional economic development spending and steer clear of budget tricks. Senior Research Associate Tammy Gamerman pens an op-ed for the New York Post.