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Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Governor Cuomo Should Veto 19 Benefit Sweetener Bills
2019 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard Update
July 12, 2019
The bills would enhance benefits without providing enhanced services to taxpayers or offsetting savings.
Blog
Capital Spending
Don’t Pass the Capital Pork
June 07, 2019
Like most other spending decisions, capital spending is best decided during budget negotiations.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
2019 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard
New York State Bill Tracker
May 01, 2019
For the remaining seven weeks of the legislative session, members will propose to enhance the benefits of State and local public employees and retirees.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
NYC Long-term Liabilities Top $257 Billion
October 31, 2018
The City's liabilities reached a record $257.3 billion, an increase of $4.7 billion since fiscal year 2017.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Bitter Truth
Many Benefit Sweeteners Lack Required Fiscal Estimates
June 06, 2018
To date the New York State Legislature has introduced 138 bills in this session that enhance the benefits of state and local public employees. How much these bills could cost taxpayers is unknown.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Four Egregious Benefit Enhancement Bills
2018 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard Update
May 18, 2018
The 135 active bills identified on the Citizens Budget Commission’s 2018 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard this session could cost the State and local governments at least $428 million.
Blog
Capital Spending
Rightsizing and Right Timing New York City’s Capital Plan
March 14, 2018
Despite a pledge to collaborate with the City Council on a realistic Capital Commitment Plan, the City's overly ambitious proposal is neither realistic nor transparent.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
A Budget Proposal That Seems Fiscally Responsible, But Doesn’t Tackle the True Problem
February 22, 2018
It's time to eliminate the expensive and risky benefits provided by the TDA.
Blog
Transportation
Tsk-tsk on Governor’s TIF Proposal
February 02, 2018
The FY 2019 Executive Budget proposed to allow the MTA to create tax increment financing districts in NYC to raise revenue for capital improvements. Though TIFs can play a useful role, the proposal is flawed.
Blog
Transportation
Is the Enhanced Station Initiative a Good Idea?
July 20, 2017
Is the enhancement of 32 stations at a cost of nearly $1 billion worth the trade-off against other capital needs?
Blog
Housing
$1.9 Billion More For Affordable Housing, But Plan Lacks Specifics
June 30, 2017
City documents offer few details on how the new funding will be used to enhance different levels of affordability.
Blog
Transportation
“Parity” for State Transportation Investments
A Misguided Misnomer
March 09, 2017
Do the State's transportation and transit investments really achieve "parity" between the DOT and the MTA? They don't -- and they shouldn't.
Blog
Capital Spending
Agency Focus: DASNY
Budget Analysis
August 01, 2016
The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) manages construction of buildings and provides low-cost financing for public and nonprofit institutions.
Blog
City Budget
The “20-20-20-20” Dilemma: Legacy Costs in the New York City Budget
July 22, 2016
A giant slice of the New York City budget pays for costs that are the legacy of commitments made in the past: debt service, pensions, and retiree health insurance. These legacy costs 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.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Ten Benefit Enhancements Poised to Go to Governor’s Desk
June 17, 2016
10 benefit sweeteners passed both houses in 2016 and were delivered to the Governor.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Legislature Introduces Even More Benefit Sweeteners
May 18, 2016
The State Legislature has introduced 8 new bills to enhance the benefits of State and local public employees and retirees in the 2016 session.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
2016 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard
May 02, 2016
The Citizens Budget Commission’s 2016 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard identifies more than 60 such bills active this session. These bills could cost the State and local governments hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and since about half the bills do not specify a fiscal impact, the potential costs could be significantly greater.
Blog
State Budget
Pass Governor’s Proposal to Reform State Retiree Health Insurance Benefits
March 13, 2016
State of New York retirees with more than 10 years of service receive health insurance benefits substantially more generous than those offered by private sector and most public sector employers. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Budget for FY2017 includes a fair proposal to reduce these growing costs, and the Legislature should adopt it.
Blog
Capital Spending
Design-Build Contracting
A Way to Fix More Bridges for Less Money
February 17, 2016
State legislators should enable New York City to benefit from design-build contracting: if it realized savings on par with the State’s experience, the City could save $2 billion over 10 years.
Blog
Housing
The Cost of Affordable Housing
December 15, 2015
How much does it take to build in NYC?