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Report
Economic Development
An Assessment of Performance Reporting by Regional Economic Development Councils
November 29, 2015
This brief assesses the performance of New York State's Regional Economic Development Councils over the past four years and offers recommendations for further improving data collected on projects and on the economic performance of the regions.
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
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
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.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony Examining Health Care Savings Under Recent Collective Bargaining Agreements
Delivered to the NYC Council Committee on Finance
April 01, 2015
Savings that would have normally been reserved for general budget needs—such as funding libraries or maintaining public parks—and are attributable to a national slowdown in health care costs, are now being credited to the health savings agreement.
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.
Report
Economic Development
Bigger Not Better
New York’s Expanding Economic Development Programs
February 18, 2015
Although some modest reforms have been made, many economic development programs have grown significantly without the improvements needed to address widely noted shortcomings.
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
Economic Development
Testimony on Empire Zone Program
Submitted to NY City Council Economic Development Committee
November 24, 2009
The CBC argued that the Empire Zone program's mission has been lost, the program's objectives are not measured consistently, local agencies do not hold firms accountable for the economic commitments they make, and the program is failing to meet the targets firms set when they are approved for benefits.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony on NY Power Authority Economic Development Programs
Delivered to a Joint Session of State Committees
September 23, 2009
A testimony before a number of State Senate and Assembly committees which reviews the findings of a recent CBC report on the efficacy of NYPA's economic development programs.
Report
Economic Development
Overhauling the New York Power Authority's Economic Development Programs
September 22, 2009
This report focuses on the numerous subsidized power programs for economic development run by the New York Power Authority. It is the second in a series, the intent of which is to identify ways that New York's current tools can be used more effectively.
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.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
The Explosion in Pension Costs
10 Things New Yorkers Should Know About Retirement Benefits for New York City Employees
April 06, 2009
In recent years, one of the fastest growing expenses for New York City government has been retirement benefits for municipal workers. This growth is driven mainly by investment losses in the pension funds and the enrichment of retirement benefits. As New York taxpayers have a critical interest in understanding the reasons behind the explosion in retirement benefit costs and what can be done to limit future liabilities, this report summarizes 10 facts about retirement benefits for New York employees.