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Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Pension Poison Pills
April 06, 2009
This op-ed, released in conjunction with the report “The Explosion in Pension Costs: 10 Things New Yorkers Should Know About Retirement Benefits for New York City Employees,” highlights facts that taxpayers should know about the cost of retirement benefits for New York City employees.
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.
Testimony
State Budget
Testimony on State Budget Process Reforms
Delivered to the Senate Temporary Committee on Rules and Administration Reform
February 27, 2009
This testimony by CBC Deputy Research Director Elizabeth Lynam highlights CBC’s work on fiscal reform and shares thoughts and recommendations on the work of the Senate Temporary Committee on Rules and Administration Reform.
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.
Letter
Economic Development
CBC and Others Urge the State Legislature to Reform Empire Zones
February 11, 2009
This letter to the State Legislature, written in conjunction with the NYS AFL-CIO, the Metropolitan Development Association of Syracuse and Central New York and the Partnership for New York City, is in support of Governor David Paterson's proposal to scale back the almost $600 million-a-year Empire Zone Program.
Letter
State Budget
Recommendations for FY 2009-2010 State Budget
February 02, 2009
This letter to the state legislature suggests two strategic directions to guide budget policy and offers a roadmap that avoids harmful tax increases and makes spending better serve New Yorkers by suggesting reforms in five key areas: Medicaid, school aid, correctional facilities, public employee benefits, and programs like STAR and Empire Zones.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
State Can't Afford Overly Generous Pensions
January 31, 2009
Written by CBC President Carol Kellermann and President and CEO of the Business Council of New York City Kenneth Adams, this op-ed outlines Governor David Paterson’s proposed measures in response to the challenges associated with such a high-cost fringe benefit system.
Letter
Transportation
Letter to the Governor Regarding Ravitch Commission
January 28, 2009
In this letter CBC agrees, for the most part, with a report released by the Commission on Metropolitan Transportation Authority Financing but offers suggestions for improvement. Specifically, CBC supports legislation to implement the Commission’s core recommendations (with revision), which are highlighted in the testimony.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
NYC's Out-Of-Control Labor Costs
January 12, 2009
Written in conjunction with the report “Six-Figure Civil Servants: Average Compensation Cost Of New York City Public Employees,” which showed that the average compensation costs of full-time City employees was $106,743 in the last fiscal year, this op-ed by CBC President Carol Kellermann suggests three steps to be taken immediately to avoid jeopardizing the City’s economy and its services.
Testimony
Capital Spending
Testimony on Public-Private Partnerships
Delivered to the Commission on State Asset Maximization
January 07, 2009
The testimony offers guidelines for the application of public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s), suggests areas in which PPPs can be used in New York, and warns against and explains potential pitfalls in the application of PPPs.
Op Ed
Transportation
The MTA: Who'll Pay?
December 02, 2008
This op-ed by CBC President Carol Kellermann and Research Director Charles Brecher proposes the most equitable division of responsibility for mass transit in the metro area. CBC believes that the appropriate balance among riders, car and truck drivers, and the general public (in the form of tax subsidies) is about 50/25/25.
Op Ed
State Budget
Budget Busters
August 18, 2008
CBC President Carol Kellermann discusses Governor David Paterson's offer of a menu of more than $1 billion in savings proposals from which he challenged legislators to select $600 million worth when they convened in Albany for a special session.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Paterson Must Veto Pocket-Picking Mandate
June 26, 2008
The Legislature recently passed a bill -- A9393A/S6457A -- that would prevent local officials from achieving savings in the skyrocketing cost of providing health insurance for government retirees and their dependents by prohibiting any reduction in benefits.
Letter
City Budget
Letter to the FCB on GASB 49 Requirements
Submitted to the Financial Control Board
April 29, 2008
Any deferral from meeting GASB 49 standards on pollution remediation should be limited to one year.
Op Ed
State Budget
Overhaul Prisons to Cut Costs
February 18, 2008
One place where the State can extract savings is in its prison system, an option that this op-ed discusses. New York simply does not need all 69 of its correctional facilities.