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Testimony
Taxes
New York City Property Tax Reform
Testimony Submitted to the New York City Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform
November 27, 2018
CBC makes recommendations for property tax reform to fix problems with transparency and equity of the system.
Video
Taxes
The New York City Property Tax
Problems, Inequities, and Potential Reforms
September 13, 2018
NYC Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform is charged with recommending reforms to make the NYC property tax fairer, simpler, and more transparent. CBC, the Regional Plan Association, and NYU Wagner convened a panel to discuss the current property tax system and the reforms that should be pursued.
Testimony
Taxes
Comments on New York City Property Tax Reform
December 04, 2019
The balancing act facing legislators as they consider proposals to reform the property tax is how to increase equity, fairness, and transparency, while maintaining fiscal stability and reliability.
Letter
State Budget
CBC Recommendations on Tax Relief and Reform Proposals in Executive Budget
March 05, 2014
This letter expresses support for Executive Budget tax reforms, but recommends that action on the property tax relief proposals be deferred until their design is improved and the surplus necessary to sustain them is achieved.
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.
Podcast episode
City Budget
Episode 59: 1981
November 16, 2018
The data point for today is 1981, the year in which the State Legislature enacted S7000A, the landmark bill that formalized the current property tax system for New York City. A response to the Hellerstein case, which found the system was in violation of State law, S7000A essentially codified the status quo.In doing so, it established a system of property classification, fractional assessments, caps, phase-ins, and class shares that is still with us 37 years later. These structural features and statutory requirements are the root of the system’s inequities and complexities. A home worth $500,000 can face the same tax bill as a home worth $1.5 million, while the value of a condominium unit, according to the City, is a fraction of its sale price. In fact, some buildings have values that are below the sale price of individual units. And commercial and rental property faces a higher average property tax burden than 1-, 2- and 3-family homes.
These inequities and problems have led to repeated calls for reform, including pending litigation. This past May, Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Johnson formed the Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform. In September, the Citizens Budget Commission, the Regional Plan Association, and NYU Robert Wagner School of Public Service held a panel to discuss the problem, inequities and potential reforms
Testimony
Housing
Testimony on the NYCHA Physical Needs Assessment
Submitted to the New York City Council Committee on Public Housing
November 15, 2018
NYCHA has an astounding $32 billion in capital needs, a nearly fivefold increase over the last decade. Today nearly all its properties require substantial rehabilitation.
Podcast episode
State Budget
Episode 86: $28.8 billion, the Holiday Edition
December 11, 2019
$28.8 billion is the cumulative four-year budget gap facing New York State between fiscal years 2020 and 2023. CBC President Andrew Rein joined the podcast to explain how the State should get its fiscal house in order. And for a special treat, CBC's Andrew Perry and Ana Champeny discuss regional economic development and NYC property taxes. Happy Holidays!
Blog
Transportation
Tsk-tsk on Governor’s TIF Proposal
February 02, 2018
The FY 2019 Executive Budget proposed to allow the MTA to create tax increment financing districts in NYC to raise revenue for capital improvements. Though TIFs can play a useful role, the proposal is flawed.
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.
Blog
Taxes
Pied-à-Terre Tax
Appealing but Problematic
March 13, 2019
The pied-à-terre tax is appealing politically because it is levied on wealthy people with means to pay and nonresidents who do not vote. Nevertheless, it is problematic for several reasons.
Report
City Budget
$1.1 Billion in NYC Public Leases
Better Management Needed to Control Rising Costs
August 27, 2019
NYC spent more than $1.1 billion to lease space for public facilities and offices—an amount that has grown 40 percent since fiscal year 2014.
Blog
Taxes
Follow the Money
The MTA’s New Revenues
April 05, 2019
The NYS Adopted FY 2020 Budget directs three revenue sources to support the MTA. This blog clarifies what the revenue streams are and how they will flow to the lockbox.
Letter
State Budget
Recommendations for Legislative Action on the NYS Executive Budget for FY2019
March 05, 2018
CBC's take on proposals that should be supported, modified, or rejected.
Report
Economic Development
2019 Economic Development Scorecard
New York State Bill Tracker
April 24, 2019
Dozens of bills to expand existing economic development programs and create new ones have been introduced during the legislative session.
Report
Economic Development
Economic Development Scorecard
2018 New York State Bill Tracker
June 22, 2018
91 bills active in this session would create and expand economic development programs. Until reform is enacted, these bills should be halted.
Letter
Economic Development
Governor Should Sign Bill Authorizing OSC Oversight of LDCs
A Letter to Governor Cuomo
December 18, 2019
CBC urges Governor Cuomo to sign A7476/S5445, which will authorize the Office of the State Comptroller to audit local development corporations.
Statement
State Budget
Statement on the NYS FY2019 Budget
March 31, 2018
The budget gap will be closed using short-term measures instead of restraint in and reform of spending commitments.
Press Release
City Budget
CBC Recommends Budget Strategies for Mayor de Blasio's Second Term
January 26, 2018
In order to reach, and then sustain, budget stability in the Mayor’s second term, the budget should contain spending growth; build reserves; reduce the size of the capital plan and the cost of capital projects; and strengthen finances at NYCHA and NYC H+H.
Report
Health Care
Still a Poor Way to Pay for Medicaid
October 01, 2018
For more than 50 years New York State has financed its Medicaid program in a unique way: the State requires New York City and the 57 other counties to pay more for Medicaid than all other local governments in the nation combined.