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Letter
Economic Development
Governor Should Sign Bill Authorizing OSC Oversight of LDCs
A Letter to Governor Cuomo
December 18, 2019
CBC urges Governor Cuomo to sign A7476/S5445, which will authorize the Office of the State Comptroller to audit local development corporations.
Letter
State Budget
New York State Should Responsibly Address Serious Fiscal Imbalance
A Letter to Governor Cuomo, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Heastie
December 10, 2019
The Citizens Budget Commission welcomes the recognition that the State must immediately address its serious fiscal imbalance.
Testimony
Taxes
Comments on New York City Property Tax Reform
December 04, 2019
The balancing act facing legislators as they consider proposals to reform the property tax is how to increase equity, fairness, and transparency, while maintaining fiscal stability and reliability.
Testimony
Economic Development
Testimony on Industrial Development Agencies and Local Development Corporations
November 22, 2019
CBC has long advocated for increasing accountability and improving the performance of all entities engaged in economic development spending.
Statement
Economic Development
Watchdogs to Governor: Keep Your Campaign Promises to Create Database of Deals and Prohibit Vendor Campaign Contributions
January 03, 2019
After Biggest Bid-Rigging Scandal in State History, Governor and Legislature Must Act on Clean Contracting in 2019
Letter
State Budget
CBC Recommendations on Tax Relief and Reform Proposals in Executive Budget
March 05, 2014
This letter expresses support for Executive Budget tax reforms, but recommends that action on the property tax relief proposals be deferred until their design is improved and the surplus necessary to sustain them is achieved.
Op Ed
Economic Development
How to Make NYC Economic Development More Effective
January 26, 2014
The start of the new administration offers an important opportunity to review the city's economic development practices and assure that they foster growth by making business incentives more cost-effective and transparent.
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
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
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.
Op Ed
Economic Development
Four Principles for Governor Cuomo's Regional Economic Development Councils
September 27, 2011
CBC Vice President and Director of State Studies Elizabeth Lynam pens an op-ed listing four principles to govern the operation of the new regional economic development councils. These principles will help the state face the sizable challenges ahead and avoid the mistakes made in past economic development efforts.
Op Ed
State Budget
Bravo on Budget; Now to Lawmaking
April 02, 2011
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state legislative leaders deserve credit for agreeing on a budget that breaks some bad habits. It was on time, reins in spending that was growing at an unsustainable pace, and minimizes the facile devices that checkered past budgets—deficit borrowing, tax hikes, one shots and other gimmickry.
Op Ed
Economic Development
Cuomo's Job is to Deliver Jobs
January 31, 2011
An op-ed penned by CBC President Carol Kellermann and SEIU Local 32BJ President Mike Fishman on the need to revamp New York State's economic development programs.
Testimony
State Budget
Testimony on Improving the State Budgetary Process
Delivered to the Select Committee on Budget and Tax Reform
December 17, 2009
In this testimony the CBC assesses the effectiveness of provisions in the New York State Budget Reform Act of 2007 and makes additional recommendations for improving transparency, forecasting, and flexibility.
Testimony
Economic Development
Testimony on Empire Zone Program
Submitted to NY City Council Economic Development Committee
November 24, 2009
The CBC argued that the Empire Zone program's mission has been lost, the program's objectives are not measured consistently, local agencies do not hold firms accountable for the economic commitments they make, and the program is failing to meet the targets firms set when they are approved for benefits.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony on NY Power Authority Economic Development Programs
Delivered to a Joint Session of State Committees
September 23, 2009
A testimony before a number of State Senate and Assembly committees which reviews the findings of a recent CBC report on the efficacy of NYPA's economic development programs.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Urges Governor Paterson to Veto Costly Mandate for Retired Teachers
May 12, 2009
This letter from the CBC urges the Governor to veto A4628, a bill that would renew the provision that prohibits school districts from reducing the health insurance benefits offered to retirees unless the changes are approved by the local teachers union.
Testimony
Taxes
Testimony on NY State Tax System
Delivered to the Senate Committee on Budget and Tax Reform
March 12, 2009
This testimony emphasizes two key points about New York’s personal income tax (PIT) and offers a framework for thinking about tax reform in the current fiscal context: 1) New York’s PIT is progressive, but its overall tax structure is not; and 2) New York’s economic competitiveness should be an important factor in considering changes to its tax rates.
Letter
State Budget
10 Do's and Don'ts for Spending the Federal Stimulus Funds
February 25, 2009
This letter to the Legislature warns that the federal aid to New York is limited and temporary, suggests ten do’s and don’ts for using the federal funds and closing the budget gap while avoiding harmful cuts and tax increases, and highlights possible allocation of the funds.