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Blog
Economic Development
Learning from Past Mistakes
Examining Changes to the Excelsior Jobs Program
October 20, 2015
In 2008, CBC called for the elimination of the Empire Zones jobs program amid concerns it wasted public resources. In 2010, New York State replaced Empire Zones with the streamlined Excelsior Jobs Program. Excelsior was designed to avoid the errors of Empire Zones but until recently it has been difficult to assess to what degree it achieves its objectives.
Blog
City Budget
The Cost of More Cops: A Full Accounting
August 03, 2015
Police officers have a greater budget impact than most other City employees: what's the cost of 1,300 new cops?
Blog
Education
Fringe Benefits Pushed New York Education Spending Higher in 2013
June 22, 2015
High levels of school spending in NY largely reflected the relatively high cost of employee compensation.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Big Decisions Before Albany Do Not Deter Sweeteners
June 09, 2015
Tracking bills enhancing benefits for public employees introduced in the 2015 Legislative Session
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Pension Sweetener Scorecard – Disability Benefits Edition
June 01, 2015
Reviews 10 bills introduced to benefit recently hired New York City uniformed employees that are gaining momentum
Blog
Transportation
Who Pays When “The City” Gives Money to the MTA?
May 05, 2015
Calls for “the City” to provide more funding should be clear about who is really being asked to foot the bill: New York City taxpayers already provide most of the MTA's revenue through the combination of local, regional, and state taxes.
Blog
City Budget
A PEG by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet
April 19, 2015
Mayor de Blasio voices heartfelt interest in finding ways to save money, but he does not want to call it a PEG or put such name in his plan, at least in part because of its identification with prior administrations.
Blog
Economic Development
Economic Development Bigger in State Budget, But Benefits Unclear
April 15, 2015
Since 2011 New York leaders have restrained growth in the state’s operating budget; in contrast, the scale and scope of questionable economic development programs continue to be expanded significantly. In 2014 state and local spending for these activities totaled $8 billion.
Blog
Taxes
How Much to Bank on? When it Comes to Revenue Forecasting, Better Safe Than Sorry
April 12, 2015
What kind of impact could a recession have on New York City's revenues?
Blog
State Budget
New York’s $1 Billion Brownfield Cleanup Program
March 17, 2015
Overview of Brownfield Cleanup Program
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
New York Should Stop Borrowing from its Pension Funds
February 25, 2015
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Budget for FY2016 proposes to borrow an additional $1.8 billion from public employee pension funds in coming years. This proposal adds to taxpayers’ long-run costs and risks weakening the fiscal condition of the funds.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Giving Credit Where It’s Due? New York City’s $1.3 Billion in Health Insurance Savings
December 28, 2014
In its recent mid-year budget modification the de Blasio administration credited a coalition of municipal employee unions with achieving $1.3 billion in savings in the City’s employee and retiree health insurance costs. Yet the unions have not agreed to any changes in the plan, and the City and the unions have taken no actions to reduce costs. How can this be?
Blog
State Budget
Guidelines for Wisely Using the $5 Billion Windfall
December 15, 2014
Three questions for determining good uses of one-time revenues.
Blog
Health Care
Agency Focus: HHC
Budget Analysis
September 22, 2014
Short budget profiled of the finances and challenges of New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) - now known as NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H).
Blog
City Budget
Agency Focus: DEP
Budget Analysis
September 21, 2014
Three entities govern New York City's water and sewer system: the Department of Environmental Protection operates and maintains the system; the New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority (WFA) borrows to finance capital investments; and the Water Board sets rates for customers to meet financing needs. Learn more.
Blog
City Budget
Controlling the Cost of New York City’s Settlements and Judgments: A Tale of Two Agencies
August 11, 2014
ClaimStat is an innovative, data-based method for analyzing judgments and claims against the City of New York in order to identify ways to reduce their cost. The Health and Hospitals Corporation (now H+H) has used this method with great results.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
LIRR Pension Fraud Could Happen Again
August 04, 2014
Summarizes findings from a GAO report indicating the federal agency administering disability pensions for those workers had not done enough to prevent a repeat of a widespread fraud scheme by LIRR employees uncovered in 2008.
Blog
City Budget
Where Do We Go From Here?
Steering New York City’s Finances in Fiscal Year 2015
June 30, 2014
This blog post examines what’s new in the fiscal year 2015 budget and makes recommendations for steering the City’s finances over the next four years.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Five Benefit Sweeteners Pass in State Legislature
June 19, 2014
Five bills on CBC’s Benefit Sweetener Scorecard have passed both houses of the State Legislature in 2014. These bills are highlighted in red on the Scorecard.
Blog
Public Workforce
Three Questions about 1,000 New Police Officers
June 18, 2014
As the New York City budget for fiscal year 2015 nears adoption, one of the more expensive Council initiatives, at an estimated cost of almost $100 million annually, is the hiring of 1,000 new police officers to increase staffing at police precincts.