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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.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Encourages Governor Paterson to Veto Benefit Sweeteners
July 22, 2010
The fiscal realities of the time have not deterred the Legislature from advancing dozens of bills enhancing benefits for State and local employees and retirees. Three were already sent to you for consideration this week; another will be shortly. We are writing to ask that you veto them.
Blog
City Budget
The City’s FY 2011 Budget: The Buck Stops Here
July 12, 2010
With significant budget gaps looming in the outyears and the end of nearly a decade of multi-billion dollar surpluses, it is disappointing that more has not been done to lower spending.
Blog
City Budget
The Beginning of the End of Balanced Budgets for New York City?
June 23, 2010
What ought to be considered a dramatic reversal of a highly praised policy has been buried in an arcane legal change made by the Legislature at the request of the Mayor, allowing the city to borrow for pollution remediation.
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.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony to the NYC Council Finance Committee on FY 2011 Executive Budget
June 07, 2010
As the City begins a fragile economic recovery, this financial plan presents a crucial opportunity to take actions that will place the City on a firmer fiscal footing and ensure its competitiveness for the long-term.
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The labor market case for more generous retirement benefits for public sector workers is no longer valid.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
Education
High Time For Higher Education Funding Reform
April 13, 2010
Explains why the irrational and inequitable tuition policies at CUNY and SUNY should be replaced by a rational tuition policy that allows for regular increases but also does not reduce financial aid to students.
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.
Testimony
State Budget
Testimony on Improving the State Budgetary Process
Delivered to the Select Committee on Budget and Tax Reform
December 17, 2009
In this testimony the CBC assesses the effectiveness of provisions in the New York State Budget Reform Act of 2007 and makes additional recommendations for improving transparency, forecasting, and flexibility.
Blog
State Budget
A Disappointing DRP
November 24, 2009
Analysis of the NYS Deficit Reduction plan proposed in the FY2010 Budget
Op Ed
City Budget
New Priorities for Mayor Bloomberg's Third Term
November 15, 2009
CBC President Carol Kellermann outlines the fiscal priorities that need to be addressed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his third term in this op-ed published in the Huffington Post.
Letter
City Budget
CBC Proposes a New Fiscal Strategy for the City's FY2010 Budget
June 10, 2009
This letter to the mayor, speaker, and chairman of the finance committee outlines four key elements of a new fiscal strategy that would address the structural imbalance in the City's budget due to the ongoing recession.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Urges the Governor to Veto a Benefit Sweetener for Police and Firefighters
May 29, 2009
This letter from the CBC urges the Governor to veto A3426/S1409, a bill that would extend Tier II provisions to all police officers and firefighters who join a public retirement system on or after July 1, 2009 to July 1, 2011.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Urges Governor Paterson to Veto Costly Mandate for Retired Teachers
May 12, 2009
This letter from the CBC urges the Governor to veto A4628, a bill that would renew the provision that prohibits school districts from reducing the health insurance benefits offered to retirees unless the changes are approved by the local teachers union.
Testimony
Taxes
Testimony on NY State Tax System
Delivered to the Senate Committee on Budget and Tax Reform
March 12, 2009
This testimony emphasizes two key points about New York’s personal income tax (PIT) and offers a framework for thinking about tax reform in the current fiscal context: 1) New York’s PIT is progressive, but its overall tax structure is not; and 2) New York’s economic competitiveness should be an important factor in considering changes to its tax rates.
Testimony
State Budget
Testimony on State Budget Process Reforms
Delivered to the Senate Temporary Committee on Rules and Administration Reform
February 27, 2009
This testimony by CBC Deputy Research Director Elizabeth Lynam highlights CBC’s work on fiscal reform and shares thoughts and recommendations on the work of the Senate Temporary Committee on Rules and Administration Reform.
Letter
State Budget
10 Do's and Don'ts for Spending the Federal Stimulus Funds
February 25, 2009
This letter to the Legislature warns that the federal aid to New York is limited and temporary, suggests ten do’s and don’ts for using the federal funds and closing the budget gap while avoiding harmful cuts and tax increases, and highlights possible allocation of the funds.
Letter
State Budget
Recommendations for FY 2009-2010 State Budget
February 02, 2009
This letter to the state legislature suggests two strategic directions to guide budget policy and offers a roadmap that avoids harmful tax increases and makes spending better serve New Yorkers by suggesting reforms in five key areas: Medicaid, school aid, correctional facilities, public employee benefits, and programs like STAR and Empire Zones.