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Testimony
Education
Testimony on Improving the NYC Department of Education's Fiscal Transparency
Submitted to the NY City Council's Joint Education and Contract Committee
April 11, 2009
CBC submits this written testimony to the City Council joint Education and Contracts Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Education's contracting and procurement process; CBC has two recommendations to increase accountability and transparency with regard to all of DOE’s fiscal operations, including contracting and procurement.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
The Explosion in Pension Costs
10 Things New Yorkers Should Know About Retirement Benefits for New York City Employees
April 06, 2009
In recent years, one of the fastest growing expenses for New York City government has been retirement benefits for municipal workers. This growth is driven mainly by investment losses in the pension funds and the enrichment of retirement benefits. As New York taxpayers have a critical interest in understanding the reasons behind the explosion in retirement benefit costs and what can be done to limit future liabilities, this report summarizes 10 facts about retirement benefits for New York 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.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
Six-Figure Civil Servants
Average Compensation Cost Of New York City Public Employees
January 08, 2009
In fiscal year 2008, the average compensation cost per New York City full-time employee was $106,743; this figure represents a system out of sync with the private sector and an opportunity to limit the growth of the City’s liability in the future while continuing to provide fair and adequate compensation to the City’s employees. Three factors that have driven the growth in compensation among City employees are: 1) Pay increases are directly attributable to contract settlements with unions; 2) More generous terms of the health insurance benefits offered by the City, as compared to the private sector and other state and local governments; and 3) The benefit retirement plans offered by the City that lock in the City’s future payouts to retirees based on the employee’s pay, years of employment and age at retirement among other factors. CBC offers three recommendations in response to these factors.
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.
Report
Capital Spending
How Public-Private Partnerships Can Help New York Address Its Infrastructure Needs
December 11, 2008
This report explores the application of public-private partnership (PPPs) in New York by explaining its definition of such a relationship and offering in-depth guidelines, potential applications (including highway bridges, New York City school buildings, New York City parks, and higher education facilities), examples on a global, national, and local level, and potential missteps and cautions.
Report
Health Care
Paying More, But Not Getting Better Care
The Case For A New Payment System For Nursing Homes In New York's Medicaid Program
December 09, 2008
New York’s Medicaid program is the most expensive in the nation, projected to cost $45 billion in fiscal year 2008-09 and to consume nearly one-third of the New York State budget. New York State can provide needy residents with better nursing home care and save about $1.2 billion annually in fiscal year 2008-2009 by changing the way its Medicaid program pays nursing homes. This report explains why the current system is wasteful, perpetuating inefficiencies and inequities without assuring high quality care, and how a better payment system might work.
Report
Economic Development
It's Time to End New York State's Empire Zone Program
December 02, 2008
The Economic Development Zone program has become a vehicle for giving tax breaks to a variety of corporations with no clear, consistent, verifiable justification for the public investment. This report describes the benefits enjoyed by participating firms and how those benefits are distributed among economic regions of the State and types of firms; identifies and elaborates on the three serious problems that compromise the program’s efficacy; and asserts that the Empire Zone program cannot be fixed, citing past failures to do so, and should end.
Report
Taxes
The Citizens Budget Commission Review of Circuit Breakers
February 04, 2008
CBC recently looked at the option of expanding New York’s existing circuit breaker program to provide targeted relief to the neediest taxpayers as background for a forum on local tax relief convened on December 6, 2007. Based on that review of options the following points, outlined in this report, can be highlighted: 1) Circuit breakers are common; 2) New York’s circuit breaker needs reform; and 3) The poorly crafted School Tax Relief Program (STAR) would work better as a circuit breaker.
Report
Taxes
Local Taxes in New York State
Easing the Burden
December 06, 2007
A background paper for the third session of a 2007 stakeholder conference to “fix Albany.” The process by which the next budget is prepared and debated, as well as the substantive decisions it embodies, are critical to the movement for political and fiscal reform in New York State. This paper focuses on a more equitable and affordable local tax burden.
Report
Capital Spending
Capital Budgeting for 2030
Achieving the Goals of PLANYC
December 01, 2007
This report analyzes Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PLANYC, a new long-range planning initiative for New York City's capital assets and infrastructure. The report identifies the four greatest challenges confronting this initiative and makes recommendations for overcoming them.
Report
State Budget
Options for Budgetary Savings in New York State
October 17, 2007
This background paper focuses on the issue of more effective use of state fiscal resources. It was prepared to inform discussion among the participants at the second of the three agenda-setting conferences organized by CBC in the months of September, October and November 2007 to promote fiscal reform.
Report
State Budget
Options for Budget Reform in New York State
September 20, 2007
This background paper focuses on the issue of greater accountability and transparency in fiscal decision making. Prepared to inform discussion among the participants at the first of the three agenda-setting conferences organized by CBC in the months of September, October and November 2007 to promote fiscal reform, the paper first defines in some detail the limited accountability and transparency that have characterized the New York State budget process in past years. It also describes the progress made in addressing these problems during recent legislative sessions and identifies options that can be pursed in future budget deliberations to make even more substantial progress.
Report
Taxes
A Simulation of Business Taxes in New York City and Other Locations
June 02, 2007
This report focuses on state and local business taxes in New York City, showing that those taxes are dramatically higher than comparable taxes for key competitors. Combined federal, state, and local taxes reduce the rate of return on new business investment in New York City significantly – about 36-50 percent, depending on location and industry. Most of this is due to federal tax – typically 34-36 percentage points. Taxes in New York City were the highest in all industries in 2006, and were highest or second-highest under virtually all scenarios examined. By contrast, taxes in other New York locations often were lowest or nearly lowest among the locations compared.
Report
City Budget
Making the Most of Our Parks
June 01, 2007
In this report, CBC addresses six challenges that prevent New York City from making the most of its parks.
Report
Taxes
How Much Do Taxes Matter?
A Citizens Budget Commission Panel Discussion
December 11, 2006
In this background paper prepared for a panel discussion "How Much Do Taxes Matter? New York City's Tax Burden and Economic Competitiveness," which was convened by CBC on December 11, 2006, Elizabeth Roistacher, professor of economics at CUNY Queens College, summarizes the econometric literature that tries to model the relationship between tax levels and economic growth.
Report
City Budget
Managing for Results in New York City Government
A Review of Current Practices
November 30, 2006
In this report, CBC highlights two major weaknesses in the City’s management accountability framework: 1) Money and performance are not connected in the budget; and 2) The City is not focused on achieving results the public desires in every service area. To address these weaknesses, the report makes five recommendations.
Report
City Budget
Giving Taxpayers More Bang for the Buck
Managing for Results in New York City Government
November 01, 2006
In this report summary, CBC highlights two major weaknesses in the City’s management accountability framework: 1) Money and performance are not connected in the budget; and 2) The City is not focused on achieving results the public desires in every service area. To address these weaknesses, the report makes five recommendations.
Report
Education
Striking a Balance
Financing Education Reform in the Most Heavily-Taxed State
November 01, 2006
Following up on its previous research on the issues surrounding the State Court’s decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case, CBC hosted two expert panel discussions focusing on key issues in education finance reform. This brief recounts the proceedings from the second of those discussions, which took place on April 27, 2006. The discussion focused on responsibly generating revenues to fund the Court’s mandate, thinking about other changes needed to accomplish reform, and developing the role of the business community in seeing reform across the finish line.