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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.
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.
Op Ed
City Budget
Cleaning Up NY's Garbage Disposal
June 03, 2012
New York City generates more than 25 tons of garbage per minute. That's 14 million tons per year, and the city's Department of Sanitation spends $2 billion annually to collect and dispose of about a third of it.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Sneak Labor Giveaway
May 05, 2012
Across New York, the cost of health benefits for retired government employees is growing so rapidly that it threatens to crowd out funding for essential government services. Rather than lay off police or close libraries, public officials may want to use their discretion to alter retiree health insurance — but some state legislators are trying to take away that discretion.
Op Ed
City Budget
Fix NYC’s ‘Prevailing Wage’ Law
March 27, 2012
The City Council is set to take up a bill to expand the prevailing-wage law to cover building-service workers in buildings and projects that get financial assistance from the city. Whatever the merits of that expansion, we urgently need much greater transparency in how the “prevailing wage” is determined.
Statement
City Budget
Statement on the CityTime Settlement
March 14, 2012
The $500 million CityTime settlement announced today is welcome news to New Yorkers. It is important that the recouped funds be used, not for short-term budget relief and restorations, but to help defray the costs of the City’s capital program.
Op Ed
City Budget
The Big Difference in Next Year's New York City Budget
February 23, 2012
Earlier this month, Mayor Michael Bloomberg presented New York City's Financial Plan for the next four years. It demonstrates a stark new reality: there is no large surplus of revenues, as there has been in past years, to help balance the budget.
Testimony
Economic Development
Testimony to the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Economic Development
January 31, 2012
First, the legislature should not authorize additional funds for another round of regional competition until the “hydra” of economic development is tamed. And second, they should improve the accountability and transparency of all expenditures in this area.