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Report
City Budget
Reviving EMS
Restructuring Emergency Medical Services in New York City
November 25, 2018
The City of New York spends more than $1.1 billion annually in an effort to provide its residents and visitors this vital service, but the money is not used wisely.
Op Ed
Economic Development
The Smart Money on Amazon
Strengths and weaknesses in the Long Island City deal
November 23, 2018
As New Yorkers search for Black Friday deals, including on Amazon, we are also scrutinizing the deal offered to the retail giant to come to Long Island City.
Op Ed
Housing
In Need of Partners
Affordability Gap Too Large for New York City to Cover Alone
October 17, 2018
The City's committment to create and preserve affordable housing units and make critical repairs at NYCHA is unprecedented. But can this effort address affordability for all rent-burdened New Yorkers?
Report
Housing
Think Your Rent Is High?
Documenting New York City’s Severest Rent Burdens
October 11, 2018
Housing affordability is a perennial concern of New Yorkers and their elected officials, and the production and preservation of affordable housing is a key priority of the de Blasio Administration.
Report
City Budget
Short-term Goals for Long-term Debt
Time to Prioritize Reducing New York City’s Liabilities
September 18, 2018
Paying down the City's debts should be a greater priority.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Pension sweeteners a bitter prospect for New York City
New York Daily News
June 15, 2018
The City Council adopted a budget for fiscal year 2019 that totals almost $90 billion. Almost $10 billion will be devoted to pensions for public employees, and the amount is projected to grow. And yet, for some, this is not enough.
Op Ed
City Budget
Forcing budget discipline on big spender Bill
New York Daily News
May 02, 2018
Last week, Mayor de Blasio released an executive budget detailing $90.8 billion in spending in fiscal year 2019.
Op Ed
City Budget
How New York City Can Afford Fair Fares
Slowing the growth of the city’s workforce would provide the needed savings
April 16, 2018
The Fair Fares proposal can be accommodated within the city budget by exercising greater restraint in hiring and more aggressively tackling inefficiencies in its operations.
Op Ed
Transportation
Latest value capture proposal could harm NYC
City taxes should not be diverted to the MTA without local input
March 22, 2018
While value capture makes sense in theory, any such arrangement should be tailored to specific projects and circumstances - with the agreement of the City.
Report
Taxes
Practical Policy in Challenging Circumstances:
How NYS and NYC Should Respond to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
March 18, 2018
Strategies to mitigate the federal tax law's threat to New York's competitiveness and New Yorkers' wallets.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
Union-Administered Benefit Funds
Getting More Out Of A Billion Dollar Taxpayer Contribution
February 08, 2018
NYC taxpayers are projected to contribute $1.1 billion to 108 union-administered benefit funds. Better management, oversight, and consolidation can create more than $160 million in savings for the City and improve benefits for members.
Report
Transportation
Recessions and Revenues
The Case of the MTA
December 16, 2015
This policy brief considers the implications of a recession for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) current financial plan.
Report
Public Workforce
Twenty Years Later
Integrating Services In The New York City Fire Department
December 09, 2015
The FDNY responds to more more medical emergencies than fires. The department needs a fundamental transformation.
Report
Housing
Whose Burden Is It Anyway?
Housing Affordability in New York City by Household Characteristics
November 12, 2015
This report looks at New York City rent burdens in more detail, using an in-depth housing survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to consider a variety of household characteristics.
Report
Transportation
Taxis, Taxes, and the MTA Funding Gap
August 25, 2015
This policy brief suggests alternatives for taxes on services regulated by New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission as a potential source of filling the gap in the MTA's proposed 2015-2019 capital plan.
Report
Housing
Cleaning House
How to Close the New York City Housing Authority's Operating Gaps
April 29, 2015
This report identifies the reasons for NYCHA's operating deficits in the last decade - insufficent operating subsidies, low rent collections, low nonrental income and high operating costs - and offers recommendations to increase revenues, curb expenses and improve productivity in order to eliminate NYCHA's projected $150 million deficit and improve conditions for its residents.
Report
Energy & Environment
A Better Way to Pay for Solid Waste Management
February 05, 2015
This policy brief explores a new financing method for residential solid waste removal by the Department of Sanitation: a volume-based garbage fee. The four main benefits include: 1) service cost visibility, 2) waste reduction, 3) independent access to capital, and 4) fairness.
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
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.