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Letter
Capital Spending
CBC Urges Governor to Sign S199B/A4010B to Improve Capital Planning
A Letter to the Governor
December 13, 2021
CBC recommends that you sign S199B/A4010B, which would improve capital planning and reporting for transportation infrastructure in New York State.
Testimony
Housing
Testimony on NYCHA’s Capital Spending of City Funds
Submitted to the City Council Committee on Public Housing and Subcommittee on Capital Budget
November 18, 2021
I will focus on two topics: first, how additional City capital funding and new policy approaches are helping to address NYCHA’s capital needs, and second, the process and procurement reforms needed to ensure that NYCHA spends all—not just City—capital dollars effectively and efficiently.
Testimony
State Budget
Testimony on New School Aid Spending and Performance
Testimony submitted to the New York State Senate Committees on Education, New York City Education, and Budget and Revenue
October 05, 2021
New York State should ensure that this massive school funding increase drives results and target school aid to districts with the greatest needs.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on Preliminary Report on New York City Property Tax Reform
Submitted to the New York City Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform
June 16, 2021
CBC and many New Yorkers have called for reform of the City’s byzantine and unfair property tax system for decades.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on Comprehensive Long-Term Planning (Intro. 2186)
Submitted to the New York City Council
February 23, 2021
Intro. 2186 proposes a new comprehensive planning framework that would reform the City’s land use and capital planning process.
Statement
State Budget
Statement in Regard to the New York State Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Taxes
February 23, 2021
New York State can balance its budget without increasing personal income taxes or delaying the middle class tax cut.
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
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.
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.
Testimony
Education
Public Comment on School Planning and Siting Process
Submitted to the NYC Council Working Group on School Planning, Siting, and Overcrowding
May 24, 2017
CBC offers two recommendations for improving the school planning and siting process: maximize use of existing capacity, and target new capacity to areas with the highest need.
Op Ed
City Budget
End de Blasio’s giveaway to bus companies
May 09, 2017
The program was bad policy from the outset-- and was extended for a third year. The City Council should defund it when the budget is adopted.
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
Education
Fix NY's broken formula for distributing school aid
March 22, 2017
How much more funding should New York state provide to Syracuse public schools? A report by the Citizens Budget Commission, for which I was the primary author, says that an increase of $83 million is needed for the City of Syracuse school district.
Op Ed
Education
How Much More State Education Funding Is Needed?
March 08, 2017
With reforms to the way funding is distributed, the State can fund a "sound, basic education" with $569 million more in annual funding.
Testimony
City Budget
Comments on Proposed Small Business Services Rule on Bus Contracts
Pursuant to Section 1301 of the New York City Charter
January 30, 2017
CBC opposes extending the Department of Small Business Services program providing grants to companies that provide school bus transportation in order to maintain the wages and benefits of certain employees for a third year.
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.
Op Ed
Education
Mandate Relief Needed for Special Education in New York
November 06, 2011
New York State imposes more than 200 special education mandates beyond those required by federal law. Many of them translate into higher costs and fuel rapid and unsustainable spending growth.
Op Ed
Capital Spending
Think Small to Think Big
July 10, 2011
In the July 2011 edition of the PPP Journal, Senior Research Associate Maria Doulis reviews the success of public-private partnerships in NYC and considers opportunities for pursuing additional PPPs.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Commends State Legislators' Vote Against School District Borrowing
June 29, 2011
CBC sent a letter of commendation to the State Legislators who voted against school district borrowing for pension contributions (A6309/S4067).
Op Ed
State Budget
Improving New York's Fiscal Report Card Further
June 27, 2011
CBC President Carol Kellermann pens an op-ed congratulating the Governor and State Legislature on a productive session, but says more needs to be done on fiscal matters.