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Op Ed
State Budget
Better ways to balance state budget than stock transfer tax
Letter to the Editor
July 06, 2020
The state has other options to balance its budget.
Blog
Education
Governor’s Education Proposal Pierces Cap And Lacks Needed Reforms
February 20, 2018
The NYS FY2018-2019 Executive Budget increases school aid by $769 million, or 3 percent, to $26.4 billion- twice the increase allowed by the school aid cap.
Blog
State Budget
About Last Night: The Good News and the Bad
August 03, 2010
Review the State budget deal for FY2011: it partially addresses the current year deficit, but leaves fundamental issues unaddressed, and contains substantial risky elements.
Op Ed
Economic Development
New York needs better return on economic investments
Albany Times Union
January 17, 2018
While upcoming corruption trials may provide a revealing behind the scenes look at state operations, they should not distract from the pressing need to reform the state's approach to economic development in this legislative session.
Blog
City Budget
Traffic, Rats, and Noise
Quality of Life and the Fiscal Year 2018 Mayor’s Management Report
September 25, 2018
Citizens satisfaction measures should be added to the Mayor’s Management Report to ensure that quality of life concerns are addressed.
Blog
City Budget
Take the NYC Fiscal Monitor Reports with a Grain of Salt
January 05, 2018
NYC's four institutional fiscal are generally optimistic about the City's fiscal health; read why that should be taken with a grain of salt.
Blog
City Budget
What to Look for in the NYC November Modification
November 14, 2022
The modification is likely to be more substantial due to Mayor Eric Adams’ call for a Program to Eliminate the Gap, a rocky economy, and future gaps that could approach $10 billion.
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
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.
Op Ed
City Budget
NYC Faces Fiscal Disaster If Officials Think They Can Do It All
City & State
April 21, 2022
The choices made, along with the outcomes of city labor negotiations, will reverberate for years to come.
Op Ed
State Budget
Getting Our Money’s Worth from N.Y.
New York Daily News
November 29, 2022
With the election behind us, Gov. Hochul and the Legislature can now focus squarely on policies and programs that will shape the state’s future.
Blog
City Budget
Unnecessary Increase
Despite 18,000 Vacancies, NYC FY 2023 Executive Budget Adds 3,000 New Positions
May 04, 2022
Rather than add positions, the City should redistribute available vacancies across departments, within agencies, or across agencies.
Op Ed
City Budget
It’s Time to Fix New York’s Dysfunctional Construction Regulations
Crain’s New York Business
October 02, 2020
There is no better way to rebound from the economic and social damage inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic than to seize the opportunity to address some of New York City’s most intractable challenges.
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
Housing
NYCHA's Untapped Assets
How NYCHA Can Maximize the Value of Infill Development
October 02, 2018
CBC illustrates how changes to an "infill" development project’s location or affordability mix can significantly affect revenue and units rehabilitated at NYCHA.
Blog
State Budget
Reallocate Settlement Payments to Boost Rainy Day Funds
July 09, 2018
NYS has wom more than $11 billion in litigation settlements since FY 2014-2015. The spending of some of the settlement funds have more merit than others, but one major shortcoming is that none of the funds were allocated to boosting reserves.
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.
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
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.
Blog
City Budget
Authority for NYC to Borrow for Operating Expenses Should Be Provided Only with Strict Conditions and Oversight
September 08, 2020
The City should not borrow now for the FY21 budget. Borrowing should be a last resort, and may be reasonable only if revenues deteriorate substantially from current projections.