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Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Governor Cuomo Should Veto 19 Benefit Sweetener Bills
2019 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard Update
July 12, 2019
The bills would enhance benefits without providing enhanced services to taxpayers or offsetting savings.
Blog
Capital Spending
Don’t Pass the Capital Pork
June 07, 2019
Like most other spending decisions, capital spending is best decided during budget negotiations.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
2019 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard
New York State Bill Tracker
May 01, 2019
For the remaining seven weeks of the legislative session, members will propose to enhance the benefits of State and local public employees and retirees.
Blog
Housing
Six Guidelines for NYCHA's New Federal Monitor
March 08, 2019
The federal monitor is tasked with ensuring that NYCHA will remediate its most pressing physical issues, including lead, mold, broken elevators, and other deficiencies.
Blog
City Budget
The End of The Retiree Trust Fund
July 22, 2013
Tthe Financial Control Board (FCB) certified New York City’s Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2014 is balanced. As the FCB mentions in its report, the 2014 budget is balanced with $2.8 billion in surplus funds from fiscal year 2013 and $1 billion withdrawn from the Retiree Health Benefits Insurance Trust Fund.
Blog
Capital Spending
How Much, and for What?
May 21, 2013
Reviews the $54 billion Ten-Year Capital Strategy; the next mayor will have to make difficult trade-offs between competing priorities while ensuring the city’s debt does not become unaffordable.
Blog
City Budget
The Giant Slice: Legacy Costs in the New York City Budget
May 09, 2013
“Legacy costs” will claim almost 25 percent of the budget by fiscal year 2015 – leaving fewer dollars for other budget priorities.
Blog
State Budget
Little Noticed but Significant: The Sound Recommendations of the SAGE Commission
April 15, 2013
Reviews the worthwhile recommendations of the Spending and Government Efficiency Commission, or “SAGE” Commission.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
A Busy Day in Albany
February 19, 2013
Eight bills introduced in the NYS Assembly enhance pension benefits of public employees and retirees. These bills would add at least $1.35 billion in costs to State and local employers.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Simple But Significant
Savings from the Elimination of the Medicare Part B Reimbursement
December 19, 2010
As New York’s elected officials consider options for balancing budgets in the face of record deficits, they should eliminate a public employee fringe benefit rarely offered anywhere else: reimbursement for Medicare Part B premiums.
Blog
Capital Spending
When Will the Capital Budget Cuts Really Arrive?
December 09, 2010
Failure to impose fiscal austerity on the infrastructure agenda is evident in growing levels of capital commitments.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
What is OPEB and Why Does it Cost $9.4 Billion?
December 05, 2010
The true cost of retiree health insurance and "other postemployment benefits," or OPEB, was $9.4 billion in fiscal year 2010. Why it cost so much and what should be done about it.
Blog
Capital Spending
Mind the Gap
Funding Repair and Maintenance of New York City Infrastructure
July 26, 2010
Past neglect has created a need for nearly $5.6 billion in repair of existing facilities in New York City in order to bring them to satisfactory condition, known as a "state of good repair." Yet the City's capital budget allocates only about half, with the gap especially large for streets, hospitals, and parks.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Not so sweet
June 20, 2010
While the State and local governments struggle to pay for current salaries and fringe benefits of public employees and to fully fund the pension system for retirees - resorting to a "borrowing" scheme to stretch out required payments - the State Legislature has remained undeterred in introducing and acting upon bills that would add even more costs in the 2010 session.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
The State and Local Pension Stretch
June 16, 2010
New York stands out for consistently setting aside adequate funds to make its employee pension systems fiscally sound, but political leaders are considering heading down a fiscally irresponsible path.
Blog
Public Workforce
The Public and Private Sector Wage Disparity: An Update
May 24, 2010
The labor market case for more generous retirement benefits for public sector workers is no longer valid.
Blog
Capital Spending
New York City Capital Spending: A Retrospective
April 21, 2010
Analyzes the impact of capital investments under Mayor Bloomberg.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Christmas Bonuses
January 20, 2010
Each December, some NYC uniformed retirees receive a "variable supplement fund" payment in addition to their pensions.