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Blog
State Budget
New York’s $1 Billion Brownfield Cleanup Program
March 17, 2015
Overview of Brownfield Cleanup Program
Blog
Capital Spending
Don't Block Design-Build
March 15, 2015
New York State's trial with design-build has produced convincing results that merit permanently authorizing and extending design-build authority as a first key step in modernizing the State’s approach to public projects.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Giving Credit Where It’s Due? New York City’s $1.3 Billion in Health Insurance Savings
December 28, 2014
In its recent mid-year budget modification the de Blasio administration credited a coalition of municipal employee unions with achieving $1.3 billion in savings in the City’s employee and retiree health insurance costs. Yet the unions have not agreed to any changes in the plan, and the City and the unions have taken no actions to reduce costs. How can this be?
Blog
Transportation
Agency Focus: NYS DOT
Budget Analysis
September 28, 2014
Two major challenges face the New York State Department of Transportation: undertaking a comprehensive needs assessment and identifying resources needed to implement a capital plan.
Blog
City Budget
Agency Focus: DEP
Budget Analysis
September 21, 2014
Three entities govern New York City's water and sewer system: the Department of Environmental Protection operates and maintains the system; the New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority (WFA) borrows to finance capital investments; and the Water Board sets rates for customers to meet financing needs. Learn more.
Blog
Capital Spending
An Update on Port Authority Budget Reform
July 22, 2014
How far has the Port Authority come on improving its budget process, long-term financial viability, and accountability to the public?
Blog
Public Workforce
Three Questions about 1,000 New Police Officers
June 18, 2014
As the New York City budget for fiscal year 2015 nears adoption, one of the more expensive Council initiatives, at an estimated cost of almost $100 million annually, is the hiring of 1,000 new police officers to increase staffing at police precincts.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
An Expensive Pension Enhancement Bill is on the Move
June 08, 2014
About the bill to increase disability pension benefits for police officers hired after July 1, 2009, when a more financially sustainable “Tier III” plan went into effect.
Blog
Public Workforce
No Contract Does Not Mean No Raises
April 06, 2014
The fact that the entire unionized New York City municipal workforce is working under expired contracts is a big problem, but it does not mean that all municipal workers have gone without raises since their contracts expired.
Blog
Public Workforce
City Government Needs to Attract Younger Workers
February 18, 2014
City leaders need to think boldly about how best to reconfigure the City’s compensation and hiring practices to attract a young and skilled workforce in coming years.
Blog
Public Workforce
Binding Arbitration Law: Don’t Extend It, Improve It
June 13, 2013
State leaders should amend the binding arbitration statute for police, firefighters and others to resolve labor contract impasses to emphasize a government's "ability to pay."
Blog
Capital Spending
How Much, and for What?
May 21, 2013
Reviews the $54 billion Ten-Year Capital Strategy; the next mayor will have to make difficult trade-offs between competing priorities while ensuring the city’s debt does not become unaffordable.
Blog
State Budget
Little Noticed but Significant: The Sound Recommendations of the SAGE Commission
April 15, 2013
Reviews the worthwhile recommendations of the Spending and Government Efficiency Commission, or “SAGE” Commission.
Blog
State Budget
Governor Cuomo’s Third Budget: Priorities for Fiscal Year 2013-14
December 17, 2012
Four important challenges face state leaders as they prepare the next budget for FY2014 in Medicaid, Education, Economic Development and Local Government Relief.
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
State Budget
Balancing the State Budget – Halfway There, But Running Out of Gas?
December 19, 2011
The Governor should avoid more new taxes as the way to close the rest of the budget gap and instead focus on containing spending growth in Medicaid, pensions, education, and economic development.
Blog
Taxes
The Tax Hike’s Silver Lining
December 07, 2011
If the temporary personal income tax hike is the price we pay for long-term reforms that enhance infrastructure, encourage job growth, make the state and local tax system more equitable, and reduce future pension costs, then it is a price worth paying.
Blog
Capital Spending
The Dos and Don’ts of PPPs
December 04, 2011
Dos and Don’ts for the use of PPPs, or "P3s" adapted from the CBC's 2008 report, “How Public-Private Partnerships Can Help New York Address Its Infrastructure Needs.”
Blog
Public Workforce
Another Good Idea to Save the City Money
October 27, 2011
The New York City union welfare funds could also use some "depoliticizing, professionalizing and streamlining."