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Report
State Budget
Accounting (and More) for a Better Budget
Strategies to Improve New York State Budgeting and Fiscal Management
December 20, 2022
It is critically important that the State’s budget and fiscal management processes be improved to enable better decision-making, outcomes, and accountability.
Report
Education
More Money, Little Accountability
New York Continues to Increase State School Aid
October 03, 2022
New York State’s schools spend nearly twice the national average per student, without delivering above-average results in achievement.
Report
Transportation
Prioritizing the MTA's Critical Capital Needs
What to Do When You Can’t Do It All
August 23, 2022
The MTA has significant needs for capital investment, from signal modernization and track improvements to new subway and train cars to making stations across the system accessible.
Report
State Budget
Options to Address NYS' Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Debt
June 14, 2022
The State has three options for addressing the Trust Fund’s current debt, each of which have trade-offs and implications that should be considered.
Podcast episode
State Budget
$220 billion, with Senator Liz Krueger
April 19, 2022
$220 billion is the reported size of the New York State fiscal year 2023 budget that the Governor and Legislature adopted on April 10. The budget includes a property tax rebate and a tax holiday, and increases State spending about $14 billion, with more money for education aid, day care, rent relief, health care, and a new stadium, among other programs. Joining the podcast to unpack the new budget is Chair of the State Senate Finance Committee, Senator Liz Krueger.
Report
State Budget
Risky Business
What Could Happen If NYS Spends More… More… And Much More
March 23, 2022
The fiscal year 2023 State budget is being negotiated in the context of apparent unprecedented State fiscal strength, though economic and pandemic uncertainties serve as stark reminders to be prepared for emergencies.
Report
Economic Development
Determining an Appropriate Buffalo Stadium Subsidy
Don't Just Wing It
March 21, 2022
New York does not have a good track record of demonstrating that its economic development programs yield benefits exceeding their costs.
Podcast episode
State Budget
$0, with Robert Mujica
March 18, 2022
$0 is the size of the New York State budget deficit in each year of New York State’s five-year Executive Budget financial plan, as proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul. The Governor’s budget proposal balances the budget in each of the next five years, an unprecedented level of fiscal stability for the State. This balance and fiscal strength is driven by strong State tax receipts and extraordinary federal fiscal relief. The proposed budget also makes significant deposits to reserves. At an event with CBC Trustees, New York State Budget Director Robert Mujica presented the details of the State’s budget, and the fiscal and economic outlook going forward.
Podcast episode
State Budget
$216 billion, with Governor Kathy Hochul
February 11, 2022
$216 billion is the size of New York State fiscal year 2023 budget proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul. The proposed spending plan is balanced over five years and makes significant deposits to reserves, but also maintains high taxes and accelerates State spending growth. At an event with CBC Trustees, Governor Hochul and CBC President Andrew Rein discussed the continued improvement of the State's fiscal outlook, budget negotiations, priorities for COVID recovery, the MTA and more.
Podcast episode
Transportation
2026, with MTA Chair & CEO Janno Lieber
January 30, 2022
2026 is the year the MTA will likely have spent all of its one-time COVID-19 federal aid, and when the MTA will have to address the estimated $2.5 billion annual structural operating deficit which that aid is now covering. At an event with CBC Trustees, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and President Andrew Rein sat down for a fireside chat to discuss this and a range of other issues including ridership and the ridership experience, the newly proposed Interborough Express and other infrastructure and state of good repair needs, and how labor and management collaboration is critical to closing the operating budget gaps.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
Out of Balance
A Comparison of Public and Private Employee Benefits in New York City
December 16, 2009
The CBC and the Partnership for New York City surveyed large private firms in New York City to provide a basis for comparing the health insurance and pension benefits of private sector workers with those of municipal employees.
Report
Education
Is It a Good Deal?
How New Yorkers Should Judge The Next Teachers' Contract
November 11, 2009
The New York City teachers’ contract expired on October 31, 2009. A new agreement may be reached soon. As the City faces a $5 billion budget gap for the next fiscal year and key educational reforms remain unfinished, here are key questions parents and taxpayers should ask to judge whether the next contract is a good deal for them.
Report
Transportation
Working in the Dark
Implementation of the MTA's Capital Plan
October 20, 2009
This report analyzes the MTA’s effectiveness at managing its five-year capital plans. It does so by examining the capital projects scheduled by the MTA for work in the three-year period from January 2005 to December 2007.
Report
Economic Development
Overhauling the New York Power Authority's Economic Development Programs
September 22, 2009
This report focuses on the numerous subsidized power programs for economic development run by the New York Power Authority. It is the second in a series, the intent of which is to identify ways that New York's current tools can be used more effectively.
Report
Housing
Nine Facts New Yorkers Should Know About Rent Regulation
June 23, 2009
This report details nine important facts for the Legislature to keep in mind as rent laws are considered for modification. CBC believes they should be cautious about initiatives to extend the reach of rent regulation. Instead, state leaders should think more broadly about ways to better target assistance to lower income households and to allow the market to work in ways that better allocate housing and expand housing choices for all New Yorkers.
Report
State Budget
Review of New York State Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Budget
April 30, 2009
The CBC reviews and assesses the 9 bills that comprise the FY 2009-10 New York State Budget. The key points of this assessment include: 1) Spending remains high and few cuts were achieved; 2) no concessions were agreed to by public employee unions; 3) Large tax and fee increases help support the enlarged spending; 4) Temporary federal stimulus aid is relied upon to sustain recurring spending commitments, creating a risk of large future budget gaps; and 5) a few positive steps were taken to reduce wasteful or poorly targeted programs.
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.
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.
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.
Report
State Budget
The Armonk Agenda
Next Steps for Fiscal Reform in New York State
October 01, 2006
On April 7–8, 2006, CBC convened a conference in Armonk, New York with the goal of identifying widely supported, high-priority measures for fiscal reform in New York State. This report highlights the realignment of state and local fiscal responsibilities in order to lower local government’s tax burdens, changes in debt management in order to lower the State’s debt burden and make more effective use of borrowing, and improvements in the annual budget process in order to make it more accountable, timely and transparent.