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Blog
State Budget
Don’t Get Too High on Potential Marijuana Revenues
December 13, 2018
There is significant revenue potential from the marijuana industry, but research suggests that many months or years of careful planning precede consistent revenues.
Blog
Taxes
New York City Homeowners
Who's Got the Unfairest Tax Burden of Them All?
September 12, 2018
One of the basic principles of good tax policy is equity: similarly situated taxpayers should have similarly sized tax bills. New York City’s property tax system does not comport with this principle.
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.
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.
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.
Blog
City Budget
City's Fourth Extension of the School Bus Grant Program Should Be Rejected
March 08, 2018
The City Council should reject this program, and all new school bus contracts should be awarded with an eye toward realizing savings in the costs of pupil transportation, now more than $1.2 billion.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
A Budget Proposal That Seems Fiscally Responsible, But Doesn’t Tackle the True Problem
February 22, 2018
It's time to eliminate the expensive and risky benefits provided by the TDA.
Blog
Education
Governor’s Education Proposal Pierces Cap And Lacks Needed Reforms
February 20, 2018
The NYS FY2018-2019 Executive Budget increases school aid by $769 million, or 3 percent, to $26.4 billion- twice the increase allowed by the school aid cap.
Blog
Transportation
Tsk-tsk on Governor’s TIF Proposal
February 02, 2018
The FY 2019 Executive Budget proposed to allow the MTA to create tax increment financing districts in NYC to raise revenue for capital improvements. Though TIFs can play a useful role, the proposal is flawed.
Blog
Education
Ripe for Reform
$466 Million in Education Aid
January 02, 2018
New York State will send $25 billion to local school districts during the 2017-2018 school year, accounting for approximately 37 percent of school district revenues.
Blog
Public Workforce
Benefits Sweetener Scorecard
2016
November 29, 2016
The 2016 Benefit Sweetener Scorecard identifies more than 60 bills active this session. These bills could cost the State and local governments hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and since about half the bills do not specify a fiscal impact, the potential costs could be significantly greater.
Special Feature
Education
Enacted School Aid Per Pupil Map
SY 2016-2017
June 03, 2016
An interactive map which shows the proposed increase in school aid per pupil for each of New York State's 674 school districts and allows the comparison of state aid across major categories.
Special Feature
City Budget
Runs by FDNY Fire Companies
FY 2015
May 10, 2016
An interactive map that shows “runs,” or responses to emergencies, made by engine and ladder companies in fiscal year 2015. The map allows users to analyze the types of emergencies to which their local fire companies respond.
Special Feature
Energy & Environment
Facts About DSNY
April 21, 2016
Presents facts about the NYC Department of Sanitation's operations and costs, including collection and disposal costs and recycling and organic waste capture rates.
Blog
Education
State School Aid Increases: Anything But Progressive
April 14, 2016
Examines state school aid increases under the New York State Enacted Budget for Fiscal Year 2017.
Blog
State Budget
The Rational Funding Plan for SUNY and CUNY Should Be Extended
March 21, 2016
Why reauthorizing a rational funding plan for the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) to raise tuition makes sense.
Blog
State Budget
Pass Governor’s Proposal to Reform State Retiree Health Insurance Benefits
March 13, 2016
State of New York retirees with more than 10 years of service receive health insurance benefits substantially more generous than those offered by private sector and most public sector employers. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Budget for FY2017 includes a fair proposal to reduce these growing costs, and the Legislature should adopt it.
Blog
Public Workforce
What’s Happening at Your Fire Station?
March 09, 2016
What's your local fire house up to? Hint: Likely responding to something other than a fire. Reviews changing workload of FDNY.
Blog
Public Workforce
A Deal is a Deal
Settled Contracts Should Remain Settled
January 05, 2016
Reviews troubling additions to settled contracts under Mayor de Blasio to make them more generous without comparable improvements to productivity.