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Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Urges Governor to Veto 20 Benefit Sweeteners
A Letter to the Governor
November 29, 2023
CBC urges you to veto S5027/A5208 and 19 other bills because they enhance benefits and increase costs to New York State and local governments.
Letter
State Budget
Watchdogs Urge Governor to Veto S7562/A7757 to Amend the Film Tax Credit
A Letter to the Governor
October 16, 2023
CBC recommends that you veto S7562/A7757, which expands eligibility for the Empire State Film Production Credit.
Op Ed
Economic Development
Rigorous Data Should Show Where Incentives Work Best
Crain’s New York Business
March 23, 2023
This is one area in which New York should stop following its motto—“Excelsior”!
Statement
Public Workforce
Statement on the New York City–District Council 37 Tentative Contract Agreement
February 17, 2023
The tentative contract announced today provides raises that are very reasonable given recent and anticipated inflation. The great challenge is how the City will pay for them.
Testimony
Public Workforce
Testimony on the New York City Health Insurance for Employees and Retirees
Submitted to the New York City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor
January 09, 2023
With health insurance costs budgeted to increase at a rate of 8.5 percent between fiscal years 2023 and 2026, efforts to restrain the City’s costs are critical.
Letter
Economic Development
CBC Encourages Governor Cuomo to Veto New Tax Credits for Music and Digital Gaming Media Production
November 17, 2016
This bill would create new tax credits for music production and digital gaming media production, with both credits costing $25 million annually for the next three years. The total cost is estimated to be $150 million.
Letter
Economic Development
Letter from Good Government Groups On Economic Development Contracts
October 26, 2016
In order to restore the public’s faith in state economic development contracting, end the role of state-affiliated non-profits and SUNY in awarding those contracts, and transfer all economic development procurement, contract awards, and management to ESDC.
Op Ed
Economic Development
Economics of State's Initiatives
October 23, 2016
Recent indictments have put a major New York state economic development initiative — the so-called Buffalo Billion — in the forefront of the media and raised questions of alleged bid-rigging.
Letter
Economic Development
Watchdog Groups Call for Fundamental Reforms
Change Needed in the Aftermath of Massive State Bid Rigging Scandal
September 29, 2016
We write in the aftermath of the recent federal and state criminal complaints against many of the major players involved in New York’s Upstate economic development program to call on you to undertake major reforms.
Testimony
Economic Development
Testimony on Regular Evaluation of Tax Expenditures
Submitted to the New York City Council Committee on Finance
September 22, 2016
The impact of tax expenditures should be regularly assessed to determine whether they are inducing behavior or subsidizing activity that would happen anyway.
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.
Testimony
Economic Development
Testimony on Economic Development Programs
Delivered to the NYS Assembly Committee on Economic Development
August 03, 2016
Project-specific appropriations for economic development should cease at least until eligibility criteria are established and accountability mechanisms enhanced.
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.
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.
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
Priorities for Governor Cuomo's Next Budget
December 17, 2012
Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature have successfully tackled serious budget issues in recent years, but important challenges remain. These must be addressed in his next budget in order to improve the state's fiscal condition and give local governments better tools to manage their structural deficits.
Op Ed
State Budget
Albany Handcuffs New York’s Cities
July 04, 2012
Local governments in New York are under serious and growing fiscal pressure, and the Legislature isn’t doing enough to ease the burden. Unfortunately, the Legislature seems oblivious.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on the NYC Executive Budget for FY2013
To NY City Council Committee on Finance
June 06, 2012
First, the Council should focus on structural changes to municipal finances that will make budgeting easier in future years. Second, the Council should phase out the unusual practice of reimbursing retired municipal workers for their Medicare Part B premiums.