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Blog
City Budget
Why the Latest PEG Is Not Likely to Be the Last in NYC's Budget
December 05, 2012
This blog explains why a savings plan, known as the "PEG" is necessary in the Nov 2013 NYC budget modification, examines the savings, and offers broader perspective on the city's fiscal challenges.
Blog
State Budget
How Sick Leave Can Be Bad for a Locality's Fiscal Health
(And Health Insurance May Be Even Worse)
July 01, 2012
“Excusable” borrowing appears now to be growing, extending to accrued sick leave and vacation days that are claimed by departing employees without money having been set aside to pay for them.
Blog
City Budget
Restoring City Priorities Along With Spending Cuts
June 21, 2012
The Mayor and City Council's “budget dance” focuses largely on child care slots and after-school programs, but should really be about the City’s overly generous contributions to the health insurance of former City employees and their spouses.
Report
Energy & Environment
Taxes In, Garbage Out
The Need for Better Solid Waste Disposal Policies in New York City
May 30, 2012
This report makes the case for a significant change in the New York City Department of Sanitation's solid waste disposal practices, a shift from heavy reliance on long-distance exporting to landfills to greater reliance on use of local waste-to-energy facilities.
Report
Health Care
A Troubling Prognosis for HHC's Finances
April 23, 2012
This report assesses New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation's (HHC) critical role within the health care safety net protecting lower income New Yorkers, and it explores two significant fiscal challenges in the coming years: threats to City-supported revenues and an inadequate gap-closing plan.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
The Next Challenge: Retiree Health Benefits
April 16, 2012
Pension reform, done. Next up, retiree health insurance and OPEB.
Blog
Economic Development
Economic Development Reporting in New York City: What’s Missing?
April 11, 2012
In New York City, current reporting requirements fall short of capturing the full amount of spending in the name of economic development.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Pension Reform: Firefighters Will Not Be Running Into Burning Buildings at Age 65
March 06, 2012
Debunks misconception that "Tier VI" proposal would have employees whose duties require certain physical capacities to work until age 65.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
A Reasonable Proposal: Sharing More of the Cost of Public Sector Pensions with Employees
February 15, 2012
Increasing the employee contribution rate for public pensions in New York State is not unreasonable. Comparisons with nationwide norms show proposal would move New York toward the middle of the pack among states.
Blog
City Budget
What’s Different About Next Year’s City Budget
February 09, 2012
Tax revenues are not exceeding expectations; they are just on target.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
A More Flexible Pension Plan
January 25, 2012
Part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s “Tier VI” proposal to make pension benefits for public employees of New York’s State and local government more affordable and sustainable over the long term is an optional 401(k)-style plan, already used widely in the private sector and becoming more common in the public sector.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
NY Retirement Systems: Still Out of Line
January 25, 2012
NY requires unusally low rates of employee contribution -- meaning taxpayers largely shoulder the cost of providing pensions, which has grown sharply over the last decade.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
The First Priority in the New Year – Pension Reform
January 10, 2012
This brief examines pension cost growth in New York State and its effect on the New York's competitiveness. It recommends the adoption of a new tier of pension plans known as the Tier VI Proposal.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Simple But Significant
Savings from the Elimination of the Medicare Part B Reimbursement
December 19, 2010
As New York’s elected officials consider options for balancing budgets in the face of record deficits, they should eliminate a public employee fringe benefit rarely offered anywhere else: reimbursement for Medicare Part B premiums.
Blog
City Budget
Delaying the Pain
The truth about cost-cutting in New York City's November Plan
December 15, 2010
A closer look at the City November 2011 savings plan reveals two notable points: Nearly two-thirds consists of new revenue, and expenditure cuts are modest, although health, welfare, libraries and cultural institutions bear most of the burden.
Blog
Capital Spending
When Will the Capital Budget Cuts Really Arrive?
December 09, 2010
Failure to impose fiscal austerity on the infrastructure agenda is evident in growing levels of capital commitments.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
What is OPEB and Why Does it Cost $9.4 Billion?
December 05, 2010
The true cost of retiree health insurance and "other postemployment benefits," or OPEB, was $9.4 billion in fiscal year 2010. Why it cost so much and what should be done about it.
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.
Blog
Capital Spending
Mind the Gap
Funding Repair and Maintenance of New York City Infrastructure
July 26, 2010
Past neglect has created a need for nearly $5.6 billion in repair of existing facilities in New York City in order to bring them to satisfactory condition, known as a "state of good repair." Yet the City's capital budget allocates only about half, with the gap especially large for streets, hospitals, and parks.