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Statement
Transportation
Statement on the Metropolitan Transportation Sustainability Advisory Workgroup Report
December 18, 2018
The Metropolitan Transportation Sustainability Advisory Workgroup Report released today provides a sober look at the fiscal and managerial challenges facing the MTA.
Testimony
Education
Testimony on the New Department of Education Five-Year Capital Plan
Submitted to a Joint Hearing of the City Council Committees on Education and Finance and Subcommittee on the Capital Budget
December 18, 2018
City officials cannot continue to expect the City can build its way to a solution; making real progress will require implementing operational strategies that alter the use of space and redirect students to facilities with capacity.
Report
Transportation
NYS Infrastructure Policy
A Background Paper for the CBC Conference on The Most Important Fiscal and Economic Issues Facing New York State
December 13, 2018
This paper was prepared by HR&A Advisors as a background paper for the December 2018 CBC Conference on most important fiscal and economic issues facing New York State. The paper provides recommendations for how NYS should prioritize, fund, and deliver key infrastructure investments.
Report
City Budget
Reviving EMS
Restructuring Emergency Medical Services in New York City
November 25, 2018
The City of New York spends more than $1.1 billion annually in an effort to provide its residents and visitors this vital service, but the money is not used wisely.
Blog
Transportation
Three Takeaways from the MTA's Financial Plan
July 2018 Update
August 13, 2018
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) released its 2019 Preliminary Budget and four-year financial plan last month. Here are three important takeaways.
Report
Transportation
Getting Back on Track
Replacing and Repairing Subway Cars Will Be Expensive and Take More Than a Decade
July 18, 2018
Decisions to redirect capital dollars to other priorities and stretch inspection and maintenance cycles contributed to the decline in subway reliability, and challenges lay ahead for plans to purchase 3,600 new subway cars and retrofit 1,200 existing cars.
Blog
City Budget
Reduction in Uniformed Overtime Is Still Needed
July 12, 2018
Without workrule changes the City’s uniformed overtime caps are unlikely to be successful. In fact, several agencis have already exceeded their FY 2018 caps.
Blog
Public Workforce
The Cost of a Growing City Workforce
Ballooning Budgets and Long-term Liabilities
July 10, 2018
NYC’s municipal workforce is projected to reach a record 331,520 employees by the end of fiscal year 2019. Headcount expansion has a significant impact on the City’s budget and long-term financial position.
Letter
Capital Spending
City Should Evaluate Project Labor Agreements
Letter to Mayor de Blasio
July 05, 2018
With the Capital Commitment Plan now topping $82 billion, it is more important than ever to find ways to reduce costs and speed up project delivery.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Pension sweeteners a bitter prospect for New York City
New York Daily News
June 15, 2018
The City Council adopted a budget for fiscal year 2019 that totals almost $90 billion. Almost $10 billion will be devoted to pensions for public employees, and the amount is projected to grow. And yet, for some, this is not enough.
Blog
Education
Absent Teacher Reserve Costs $136 Million and Needs Reform
June 14, 2018
Teachers in the Absentee Teacher Reserve (ATR) will cost the City $136 million in this school year. The City should pursue reforms to the ATR, such as a 6-month time limit, in upcoming labor negotiations with the UFT.
Op Ed
Transportation
Four years after 'Bridgegate,' Port's fiefdoms are coming back
Crain's New York Business
May 30, 2018
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a crucial agency, but it is badly governed and in need of reform.
Statement
Transportation
Statement on MTA's "Fast Forward" Plan
May 23, 2018
Fast Forward, a plan to modernize New York City Transit presented by President Andy Byford today, is a serious and praiseworthy plan to improve the region's mass transit network.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
2018 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard
May 18, 2018
The balance of this year's legislative session will be devoted to moving bills through the legislative process, including proposals to enhance the benefits of State and local public employees and retirees.
Special Feature
Education
Foundation Aid for NYS School Districts
Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Enacted Budget
May 11, 2018
Most of this year's school aid increases came in the form of Foundation Aid, which is intended to support high-need school districts. All districts received an increase, but some wealthier school districts fared better than others.
Video
City Budget
Brian Talks New York: Fair Fares And Other NYC Budget Debates
CUNY TV Channel 75
April 19, 2018
The City Council has presented a budget that includes reduced priced Metrocards for low-income New Yorkers and other ideas. Brian discusses this with Citizens Budget Commission president, Carol Kellerman and City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez.
Report
Transportation
4 Things You Should Know About the MTA's Commuter Railroads
April 18, 2018
The Long Island Rail Road is much more inefficient than Metro-North. Here's why.
Op Ed
City Budget
How New York City Can Afford Fair Fares
Slowing the growth of the city’s workforce would provide the needed savings
April 16, 2018
The Fair Fares proposal can be accommodated within the city budget by exercising greater restraint in hiring and more aggressively tackling inefficiencies in its operations.
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.
Op Ed
Education
New York keeps shortchanging poor students
And Cuomo’s Foundation Aid formula will do little to fix it
March 19, 2018
Fixing the existing Foundation Aid formula would allow the state to fully fund a sound basic education with current resources.