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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
State Budget
Review of New York State Fiscal Year 2009-2010 Budget
April 30, 2009
The CBC reviews and assesses the 9 bills that comprise the FY 2009-10 New York State Budget. The key points of this assessment include: 1) Spending remains high and few cuts were achieved; 2) no concessions were agreed to by public employee unions; 3) Large tax and fee increases help support the enlarged spending; 4) Temporary federal stimulus aid is relied upon to sustain recurring spending commitments, creating a risk of large future budget gaps; and 5) a few positive steps were taken to reduce wasteful or poorly targeted programs.
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
Capital Spending
How Public-Private Partnerships Can Help New York Address Its Infrastructure Needs
December 11, 2008
This report explores the application of public-private partnership (PPPs) in New York by explaining its definition of such a relationship and offering in-depth guidelines, potential applications (including highway bridges, New York City school buildings, New York City parks, and higher education facilities), examples on a global, national, and local level, and potential missteps and cautions.
Report
Health Care
Paying More, But Not Getting Better Care
The Case For A New Payment System For Nursing Homes In New York's Medicaid Program
December 09, 2008
New York’s Medicaid program is the most expensive in the nation, projected to cost $45 billion in fiscal year 2008-09 and to consume nearly one-third of the New York State budget. New York State can provide needy residents with better nursing home care and save about $1.2 billion annually in fiscal year 2008-2009 by changing the way its Medicaid program pays nursing homes. This report explains why the current system is wasteful, perpetuating inefficiencies and inequities without assuring high quality care, and how a better payment system might work.
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
Taxes
The Citizens Budget Commission Review of Circuit Breakers
February 04, 2008
CBC recently looked at the option of expanding New York’s existing circuit breaker program to provide targeted relief to the neediest taxpayers as background for a forum on local tax relief convened on December 6, 2007. Based on that review of options the following points, outlined in this report, can be highlighted: 1) Circuit breakers are common; 2) New York’s circuit breaker needs reform; and 3) The poorly crafted School Tax Relief Program (STAR) would work better as a circuit breaker.
Report
Education
Educational Efficiencies
Savings Within the Educational System
November 29, 2004
CBC recommends reforms to improve efficiencies in education spending to offset the additional spending required under the Campaign for Fiscal Equity settlement. Recommendations include: 1) Reallocating state education aid away from wealthy districts and to more needy districts; 2) Relaxing limits on the time teachers spend in the classroom; 3) Consolidating small school districts; and 4) placing a cap on administrative expenses.
Report
Education
Finding Space For A Sound Basic Education
November 29, 2004
CBC recommends two alternative proposals to meet the Campaign for Fiscal Equity capital requirements for providing adequate classroom space. The two options are redistricting schools and operating schools on year-round schedules.
Report
Education
Gambling Revenues
November 29, 2004
CBC assesses the potential to increase gambling revenue in order to meet the requirements of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity settlement and finds that aggressive pursuit of gambling revenues has the potential to generate $2 and $3 billion annually, but the State must consider its long-run sustainability, disproportionate impact on lower-income taxpayers, and social costs.
Report
Education
Lessons From Other States
November 29, 2004
CBC conducted case studies of seven states (Kentucky, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, and Michigan) that have faced legal challenges to their public school financing systems. The analysis considers the following questions: 1) How long did it take and why? 2) How much did it cost, and where did the money come from? 3) What were the results in terms of finance outcomes? 4) What new strings where put on the money? 5) What were the results in terms of educational outcomes?
Report
Education
Promoting Accountability in New York State
November 29, 2004
CBC calls for a new accountability system for education spending to be developed in conjunction with the Campaign for Fiscal Equity settlement to ensure that new money, as well as old money, is spent effectively.
Report
Education
Tax Revenue Options
November 28, 2004
CBC reviews revenue options to best pay for the Campaign for Fiscal Equity initiatives. CBC considers broadening the base of two taxes, sales and corporate income; raising rates on two existing statewide taxes, personal income and sales; and instituting a new statewide property tax.
Report
Education
Amicus Brief for Campaign for Fiscal Equity Lawsuit
September 19, 2004
CBC's amicus curiae brief in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case focuses on four critical issues regarding the infusion of additional funding into the New York City school system in order to provide students with a sound basic education: The mix of state and local responsibility; accountability mechanisms; adequate classroom space; and changes to workforce compensation and deployment.
Report
Health Care
Confronting the Tradeoffs in Medicaid Cost Containment
February 20, 2004
While its benefits are clear and widely supported, Medicaid's costs are far more controversial. In New York, total spending for Medicaid of $36 billion in fiscal year 2003 represented nearly 40 percent of total State expenditures. The portion of the Medicaid program paid for with State-raised revenues totaled $12.6 billion or more than one-quarter of all State spending financed with State revenues.
Report
State Budget
Fixing New York State's Fiscal Practices
Five Problems That Hurt New York State and What Can Be Done to Fix Them
November 09, 2003
This report highlights 5 major fiscal issues facing New York State: 1) New Yorkers are the most heavily taxed Americans; 2) the State’s debt burden is among the highest in the nation; 3) New York has large and recurring budget gaps; 4) the budget process lacks timeliness, transparency, and responsibility; and 5) improvements in fiscal practices are hampered by unresponsive governmental institutions. In addition, the report offers solutions to these important issues.