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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.
Statement
Pensions & Benefits
Statement on Proposed Tier 6 Benefit Sweetener as Part of State’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget
March 27, 2024
The proposed change to Tier 6 pension benefits, which will cost the State and local governments in New York nearly $400 million per year, is unnecessary, expensive, and should be rejected.
Report
Education
Target and Tighten
The Sustainable Path for School Aid Growth in New York
March 13, 2024
The State’s burgeoning SOF spending has widened budget gaps. Spending restraint is needed to close those gaps, and that will only be accomplished by limiting growth in school aid, which is nearly 30 percent of SOF spending.
Podcast episode
Education
$39.5 billion, with Chancellor David Banks and Emma Vadehra
March 05, 2024
$39.5 billion is how much NYC spends to educate our students each year. The New York City Public Schools has an enormous and challenging task: to educate and develop 900,000 students who come from a wide diversity of backgrounds and needs. And it’s important to ask: Are we getting the return we need on our dollars? How are our students doing? To answer this and other pressing questions is NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks and Deputy Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Emma Vadehra.
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.
Blog
Public Workforce
A Closer Look at Paterson's Proposed Layoffs
October 31, 2010
Review Governor Paterson's plan to lay off state workers and allow additional positions to be vacated.
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.
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
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.
Letter
Economic Development
CBC Urges the State Legislature to Let the Empire Zones Program Sunset
April 12, 2010
This letter was written to urge the State legislature to allow the seriously flawed Empire Zones program to sunset as of June 30, 2010, as established by law, and to enact the Excelsior program as proposed by the Governor.
Blog
Economic Development
End the Empire Zones Program and Adopt Excelsior
March 24, 2010
Explains why Empire Zones were ineffective and argues in favor of the improved features of Excelsior tax credits.
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.
Report
Economic Development
Encouraging Small Business Success in New York City and Northern New Jersey
What Firms Value Most
July 29, 2005
This survey of small businesses in New York City and Northern New Jersey finds that these businesses broadly agree on the three most important factors to success: 1) Overall cost of business; 2) Proximity to clients and markets; and 3) Access to a skilled labor force.
Report
City Budget
The Myth of the "Uncontrollables"
Four Ways New York City Can Take Control of Its Financial Future and Save $2.5 Billion per Year
May 11, 2005
For years New York City mayors have bemoaned the fact that much of the budget is uncontrollable: pension fund contributions, health insurance, Medicaid, and debt service. This report suggests four ways to reduce the “uncontrollables” and save $2.5 billion annually.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
The Case for Redesigning Retirement Benefits for New York's Public Employees
April 29, 2005
This report presents recommendations for redesigning the retirement benefits – health insurance and pension payments – for employees of the City of New York and State of New York. It includes a description of current benefits and a comparison to benefits provided by other large private and public employers.
Report
Education
Can New York Get An A In School Finance Reform?
January 01, 2005
The State of New York faces a major challenge stemming from a 2003 ruling by the Court of Appeals, the State’s highest court, which found that the more than 1 million children in New York City’s public schools were not provided with the sound basic education guaranteed to them by the State Constitution. CBC addresses two fundamental questions: Where should the money come from? What changes other than more money are essential to improving educational outcomes?
Report
Public Workforce
The Citizens' Stakes in Collective Bargaining
Recommendations for the Current Negotiations with the Municipal Employee Unions
December 12, 2000
Report presenting recommendations for contracts to be negotiated with municipal employees that would help reduce the cost of public services, improve the quality of those services, and enhance the income and working conditions of New York's civil servants.