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Report
Transportation
Focus, Fix, and Finance
How to Rightsize and Fund the 2025 – 2029 MTA Capital Program
September 16, 2024
This report assesses the status of projects in the current and prior capital programs, identifies the appropriate maximum size and focus of an achievable but ambitious capital program, estimates available funding and the size of the funding gap, outlines criteria for consideration of funding sources, and discusses how those criteria apply to sources that have been suggested or may be discussed.
Testimony
Transportation
Testimony on NYC Ferry
Submitted to the New York City Council Committee on Economic Development and Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
September 10, 2024
NYC Ferry remains one of the most heavily subsidized transit options in New York City, and one of the most subsidized public ferry systems in the country.
Testimony
Transportation
Unpause Congestion Pricing ASAP; Use Available Money for State of Good Repair
June 26, 2024
Instead of scrambling to identify substitute revenue and risk a short-sighted decision that does not serve the long run, the focus should be on using available funds to accelerate investment and producing a thoughtful, long-term plan to sustainably finance core infrastructure needs.
Testimony
Transportation
CBC Urges MTA to Publish TYNA Addendum Detailing Costs, Benefits of State of Good Repair Projects
Submitted to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
May 22, 2024
CBC again urges the MTA to publish an addendum—prior to the release of the capital program—that includes detailed estimates of the costs, benefits, and timelines, for all assets and investment needs in the categories of “Rebuild” and “Improve” the system, including those that bring assets to and keep the system in a state of good repair.
Report
Transportation
It’s Only Fair
Policies to Reduce Fare and Toll Evasion Are Critical to Transit Sustainability
April 02, 2024
In 2023, the cost to the MTA alone was more than $700 million, which evidence suggests is growing.
Testimony
Transportation
Public Comment on the Proposed Structure For the Central Business District Tolling Program
Submitted to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
February 29, 2024
While the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) has long held the position that there should not be credits for bridge or tunnel crossings, we believe the Traffic Mobility Review Board’s (TMRB) congestion pricing toll recommendations, as a whole, are reasonable.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
8 Things New Yorkers Should Know About Public Retirement Benefits in New York State
October 19, 2010
This report presents eight facts about retirement benefits for New York State and local employees intended to stimulate a substantive discourse on pursuing changes to prevent underfunding of the pension systems and to make retirement benefits more fair and affordable.
Letter
Transportation
CBC Encourages MTA to Link Fares to Operating Expenses; Explore Peak Pricing
September 30, 2010
The CBC seeks to stress two points: 1) the fare increases to be approved for January 2011 and proposed for January 2013 should move toward establishing a long-term policy to cover half of operating expenses with fare revenue, and 2) the MTA should explore the feasibility of incorporating the practice of “peak pricing" for subways and buses.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
Better Benefits from our Billion Bucks
August 02, 2010
This report describes the organization and financing of the union welfare funds, identifies and documents three problems with the current arrangements – limited accountability, poor financial management and inefficient provision of benefits - and presents recommendations to improve the use of these payments and provide taxpayer savings.
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.
Report
State Budget
In The Danger Zone
A Comparative Analysis of New York State's Long-Term Obligations
March 08, 2010
This comparative analysis examines the debt burden of the 50 states. It finds that New York's debt burden is well above national averages and greater than that of all but three states.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
Out of Balance
A Comparison of Public and Private Employee Benefits in New York City
December 16, 2009
The CBC and the Partnership for New York City surveyed large private firms in New York City to provide a basis for comparing the health insurance and pension benefits of private sector workers with those of municipal employees.
Testimony
Transportation
Testimony on 2010 MTA Capital Plan
Delivered to State Senate Standing Committees
December 03, 2009
Testimony before the New York State Senate Standing Committees on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions and Investigations and Government Operations on the MTA's 2010-2014 capital plan.
Report
Transportation
Working in the Dark
Implementation of the MTA's Capital Plan
October 20, 2009
This report analyzes the MTA’s effectiveness at managing its five-year capital plans. It does so by examining the capital projects scheduled by the MTA for work in the three-year period from January 2005 to December 2007.
Testimony
Transportation
Testimony on Challenges Facing the MTA
Submitted to Senate Finance Committee
September 03, 2009
Testimony of CBC President Carol Kellermann to the New York State Senate Finance Committee regarding the critical challenges that will face the MTA in the coming years, including balancing the MTA's operating budget, financing new capital investments, and planning and implementing capital projects.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Commends Legislators Who Voted Against Postponing Pension Contributions
July 14, 2009
CBC commends legislators for voting against A9037/S52204, a bill that would have allowed state and local governments to postpone paying the full required annual contributions to their employee pension funds.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
2009 Benefits Sweetener Scorecard
June 02, 2009
The 2009 edition of the scorecard developed by the CBC that highlights legislative activity related to pension costs. The scorecard will track the introduction, progress, and sponsors of legislation designed to sweeten existing pension benefits of government employees, as well as any pension reform efforts to reduce future pension liabilities.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Encourages Legislatures to Avoid Pension Sweetener Legislation
June 02, 2009
This letter notifies the Legislature that the CBC has issued a "Pension Sweetener Scorecard" that tracks legislative and gubernatorial actions regarding pension benefits and highlights those actions for the media and the public. These sweeteners are often enacted over the objections of elected heads of local governments and always at the expense of taxpayers.
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.