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Report
City Budget
What is a “Balanced Budget”?
November 08, 2011
This brief examines the multiple versions of a balanced budget standard that have arisen from the City's deviation from Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and recent modifications to GAAP that set a new and higher benchmark for a balanced budget.
Report
Economic Development
Avoiding Past Mistakes
Principles for Governing Regional Economic Development Councils
September 12, 2011
This report examines New York State economic development programs' past mistakes and explores the potential to improve meaningful outcomes via new regional councils designed to streamline and coordinate the current array of state economic development efforts. It warns of the danger that new regional councils will become new heads on the already huge an unwieldy New York State economic development portfolio.
Report
Energy & Environment
New York’s Green Policies
Too Much or Too Little – A Competitive Perspective
April 03, 2011
This report assesses how New York compares to other cities in pursuing green objectives and suggests how New York’s leaders can set priorities for taking additional steps to promote environmental goals in ways that align with goals of economic growth and urban competitiveness.
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.
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.
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.
Report
Education
Is It a Good Deal?
How New Yorkers Should Judge The Next Teachers' Contract
November 11, 2009
The New York City teachers’ contract expired on October 31, 2009. A new agreement may be reached soon. As the City faces a $5 billion budget gap for the next fiscal year and key educational reforms remain unfinished, here are key questions parents and taxpayers should ask to judge whether the next contract is a good deal for them.
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.
Report
Housing
Nine Facts New Yorkers Should Know About Rent Regulation
June 23, 2009
This report details nine important facts for the Legislature to keep in mind as rent laws are considered for modification. CBC believes they should be cautious about initiatives to extend the reach of rent regulation. Instead, state leaders should think more broadly about ways to better target assistance to lower income households and to allow the market to work in ways that better allocate housing and expand housing choices for all New Yorkers.
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.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
Six-Figure Civil Servants
Average Compensation Cost Of New York City Public Employees
January 08, 2009
In fiscal year 2008, the average compensation cost per New York City full-time employee was $106,743; this figure represents a system out of sync with the private sector and an opportunity to limit the growth of the City’s liability in the future while continuing to provide fair and adequate compensation to the City’s employees. Three factors that have driven the growth in compensation among City employees are: 1) Pay increases are directly attributable to contract settlements with unions; 2) More generous terms of the health insurance benefits offered by the City, as compared to the private sector and other state and local governments; and 3) The benefit retirement plans offered by the City that lock in the City’s future payouts to retirees based on the employee’s pay, years of employment and age at retirement among other factors. CBC offers three recommendations in response to these factors.
Report
Economic Development
It's Time to End New York State's Empire Zone Program
December 02, 2008
The Economic Development Zone program has become a vehicle for giving tax breaks to a variety of corporations with no clear, consistent, verifiable justification for the public investment. This report describes the benefits enjoyed by participating firms and how those benefits are distributed among economic regions of the State and types of firms; identifies and elaborates on the three serious problems that compromise the program’s efficacy; and asserts that the Empire Zone program cannot be fixed, citing past failures to do so, and should end.
Report
Capital Spending
Capital Budgeting for 2030
Achieving the Goals of PLANYC
December 01, 2007
This report analyzes Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PLANYC, a new long-range planning initiative for New York City's capital assets and infrastructure. The report identifies the four greatest challenges confronting this initiative and makes recommendations for overcoming them.
Report
Taxes
A Simulation of Business Taxes in New York City and Other Locations
June 02, 2007
This report focuses on state and local business taxes in New York City, showing that those taxes are dramatically higher than comparable taxes for key competitors. Combined federal, state, and local taxes reduce the rate of return on new business investment in New York City significantly – about 36-50 percent, depending on location and industry. Most of this is due to federal tax – typically 34-36 percentage points. Taxes in New York City were the highest in all industries in 2006, and were highest or second-highest under virtually all scenarios examined. By contrast, taxes in other New York locations often were lowest or nearly lowest among the locations compared.
Report
City Budget
Making the Most of Our Parks
June 01, 2007
In this report, CBC addresses six challenges that prevent New York City from making the most of its parks.
Report
Taxes
How Much Do Taxes Matter?
A Citizens Budget Commission Panel Discussion
December 11, 2006
In this background paper prepared for a panel discussion "How Much Do Taxes Matter? New York City's Tax Burden and Economic Competitiveness," which was convened by CBC on December 11, 2006, Elizabeth Roistacher, professor of economics at CUNY Queens College, summarizes the econometric literature that tries to model the relationship between tax levels and economic growth.
Report
City Budget
Managing for Results in New York City Government
A Review of Current Practices
November 30, 2006
In this report, CBC highlights two major weaknesses in the City’s management accountability framework: 1) Money and performance are not connected in the budget; and 2) The City is not focused on achieving results the public desires in every service area. To address these weaknesses, the report makes five recommendations.
Report
City Budget
Giving Taxpayers More Bang for the Buck
Managing for Results in New York City Government
November 01, 2006
In this report summary, CBC highlights two major weaknesses in the City’s management accountability framework: 1) Money and performance are not connected in the budget; and 2) The City is not focused on achieving results the public desires in every service area. To address these weaknesses, the report makes five recommendations.
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.