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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
City Budget
Reduction in Uniformed Overtime Is Still Needed
July 12, 2018
Without workrule changes the City’s uniformed overtime caps are unlikely to be successful. In fact, several agencis have already exceeded their FY 2018 caps.
Blog
Public Workforce
The Cost of a Growing City Workforce
Ballooning Budgets and Long-term Liabilities
July 10, 2018
NYC’s municipal workforce is projected to reach a record 331,520 employees by the end of fiscal year 2019. Headcount expansion has a significant impact on the City’s budget and long-term financial position.
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
Health Care
DSH Cuts Delayed
Opportunity for State Reform
April 11, 2018
NYS shouldn't miss an important opportunity to revise its distribution of funds to target hospitals with the greatest needs.
Blog
Health Care
Three Strikes Against the Governor’s Proposed Conversion Revenue
March 13, 2018
Counting on the revenue from health insurance company conversations is not prudent for three important reasons.
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
Public Workforce
Benefits Sweetener Scorecard
2016
November 29, 2016
The 2016 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard identifies more than 60 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
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
A Step Backward on Medicaid Funding
March 24, 2016
New York’s policy of requiring counties and New York City to pay a sizable share of Medicaid costs is out of step with other states and results in an inequitable distribution of Medicaid costs among New York taxpayers. In 2005 the State capped the growth in the local share of Medicaid, which was a step in the right direction. In 2012 the State began a phased takeover of local share growth—a further improvement. However, the 2017 Executive Budget proposes to reinstitute New York City’s contribution toward growth in Medicaid expenses, which would be a giant step backwards.
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
Public Workforce
What’s Happening at Your Fire Station?
March 09, 2016
What's your local fire house up to? Hint: Likely responding to something other than a fire. Reviews changing workload of FDNY.
Blog
Public Workforce
A Deal is a Deal
Settled Contracts Should Remain Settled
January 05, 2016
Reviews troubling additions to settled contracts under Mayor de Blasio to make them more generous without comparable improvements to productivity.
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
Health Care
Agency Focus: NYS DOH
Budget Analysis
November 03, 2014
The New York State Department of Health has overseen dramatic changes in the state's healthcare system in recent years, including the passage of the federal Affordable Care Act and development of the state's own health care exchange website.
Blog
Health Care
Agency Focus: HHC
Budget Analysis
September 22, 2014
Short budget profiled of the finances and challenges of New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) - now known as NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H).
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.