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Blog
State Budget
Don’t Get Too High on Potential Marijuana Revenues
December 13, 2018
There is significant revenue potential from the marijuana industry, but research suggests that many months or years of careful planning precede consistent revenues.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
Governor Cuomo Should Veto Costly Employee and Retiree Benefits
A Letter to the Governor
November 27, 2018
CBC Recommends veto of A8164-b/S3770-b, A8402-b/S6435-b, A9909/S7705, A9910/S7704, and A10735/S7933.
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
Taxes
New York City Homeowners
Who's Got the Unfairest Tax Burden of Them All?
September 12, 2018
One of the basic principles of good tax policy is equity: similarly situated taxpayers should have similarly sized tax bills. New York City’s property tax system does not comport with this principle.
Letter
Taxes
New York State Should Create an Unincorporated Business Tax
A Letter to the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance
July 26, 2018
A UBT is needed to blunt the impact of federal tax reform; here are CBC's recommendations for designing it.
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.
Letter
State Budget
Significant Impacts the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the Residents and Revenues of New York State
Letter to Governor Cuomo
March 20, 2018
I write to convey the Citizens Budget Commission’s findings about the significant impacts the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will have on the residents and revenues of New York City and New York State and recommended steps needed to address these problems.
Letter
Taxes
Significant Impacts the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the Residents and Revenues of New York City
Letter to Mayor de Blasio
March 20, 2018
I write to convey the Citizens Budget Commission’s findings about the significant impacts the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will have on the residents and revenues of New York City and New York State and recommended steps needed to address these problems.
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
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
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.
Letter
State Budget
Recommendations on the FY 2017 Executive Budget
February 25, 2016
CBC offers recommendations for legislative action on the Governor’s Executive Budget for fiscal year 2017. The recommendations cover four proposals that deserve support, five proposals that should be modified, and four proposals that should be rejected.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Giving Credit Where It’s Due? New York City’s $1.3 Billion in Health Insurance Savings
December 28, 2014
In its recent mid-year budget modification the de Blasio administration credited a coalition of municipal employee unions with achieving $1.3 billion in savings in the City’s employee and retiree health insurance costs. Yet the unions have not agreed to any changes in the plan, and the City and the unions have taken no actions to reduce costs. How can this be?
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
LIRR Pension Fraud Could Happen Again
August 04, 2014
Summarizes findings from a GAO report indicating the federal agency administering disability pensions for those workers had not done enough to prevent a repeat of a widespread fraud scheme by LIRR employees uncovered in 2008.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Five Benefit Sweeteners Pass in State Legislature
June 19, 2014
Five bills on CBC’s Benefit Sweetener Scorecard have passed both houses of the State Legislature in 2014. These bills are highlighted in red on the Scorecard.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Benefit Sweeteners on the Move in State Legislature
June 15, 2014
Last week five bills on CBC’s Benefit Sweetener Scorecard passed one house of the State Legislature. The most expensive bill (A7862/S5644) was passed in the Senate and would increase pension benefits for SUNY police officers to half-pay after 25 years.