Search
Showing 1 - 19 of 19
Report
Energy & Environment
Keys to a Cap-and-Invest Design That’s Earth- and Economy-Focused
Recommendations for a Cost-Effective Program to Meet New York's Ambitious Climate Goals
November 28, 2023
While NYCI provides a great opportunity to reduce emissions in a cost-effective manner and fund critical investments strategically, its success depends on it being well designed and implemented.
Report
State Budget
The Mid-Year Check-in
Six Takeaways from the NYS Financial Plan Update and Quick Start Budget Report
November 20, 2023
The fiscal news of the last three weeks makes one thing clear: This year’s budget process will be unlike those of recent years.
Report
Economic Development
11 Billion Reasons to Rethink
New York's Increasing Economic Development Spending
July 20, 2023
Despite improved disclosure about individual projects, State and local economic development spending continues to increase without sufficient evidence that these programs cost-effectively create jobs or are more beneficial than alternative uses of the funds.
Report
State Budget
Making Hay While the Sun Shines
A Plan to Strengthen New York State’s Rainy Day Fund
June 28, 2023
Today we are left playing catchup with the threats of storm clouds looming on the horizon.
Report
State Budget
Lump Sum Warning
$14.8 Billion in Proposed State FY 2024 Discretionary Lump Sum Spending Authority Invites Waste and Corruption
March 31, 2023
The State’s resources should be allocated transparently and based on clearly articulated priorities, quantified assessments of needs, and the likely evidence-driven benefits of the spending.
Report
State Budget
Steep Incline and Cliffs Ahead:
Unaffordable NYS FY 2024 Spending Proposals Put Future at Risk
March 24, 2023
New York State’s budget has recently grown at an incredible and unsustainable rate, risking future instability and setting the stage for damaging service cuts or counterproductive tax increases.
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
Taxes
Local Taxes in New York State
Easing the Burden
December 06, 2007
A background paper for the third session of a 2007 stakeholder conference to “fix Albany.” The process by which the next budget is prepared and debated, as well as the substantive decisions it embodies, are critical to the movement for political and fiscal reform in New York State. This paper focuses on a more equitable and affordable local tax burden.
Report
State Budget
Options for Budgetary Savings in New York State
October 17, 2007
This background paper focuses on the issue of more effective use of state fiscal resources. It was prepared to inform discussion among the participants at the second of the three agenda-setting conferences organized by CBC in the months of September, October and November 2007 to promote fiscal reform.
Report
State Budget
Options for Budget Reform in New York State
September 20, 2007
This background paper focuses on the issue of greater accountability and transparency in fiscal decision making. Prepared to inform discussion among the participants at the first of the three agenda-setting conferences organized by CBC in the months of September, October and November 2007 to promote fiscal reform, the paper first defines in some detail the limited accountability and transparency that have characterized the New York State budget process in past years. It also describes the progress made in addressing these problems during recent legislative sessions and identifies options that can be pursed in future budget deliberations to make even more substantial progress.
Report
State Budget
The Armonk Agenda
Next Steps for Fiscal Reform in New York State
October 01, 2006
On April 7–8, 2006, CBC convened a conference in Armonk, New York with the goal of identifying widely supported, high-priority measures for fiscal reform in New York State. This report highlights the realignment of state and local fiscal responsibilities in order to lower local government’s tax burdens, changes in debt management in order to lower the State’s debt burden and make more effective use of borrowing, and improvements in the annual budget process in order to make it more accountable, timely and transparent.
Report
Education
Approaches to School Finance Reform for New York State
Is Robin Hood the Good Guy? Moving Toward a More Equitable School Aid System for New York
September 28, 2006
The report discusses the background of the 2003 New York State Court of Appeals decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case, an overview of the issue, explains what is wrong with the current system, provides possible sources of revenue, and provides a discussion framework.
Report
State Budget
Public Authorities in New York State
April 03, 2006
New York State’s extensive reliance on authorities has given rise to four significant problems: 1) Misuse of the power to incur debt; 2) Insufficient oversight and coordination of project revenue backed and private conduit borrowing; 3) Insufficient reporting to support accountability; and 4) Insufficient independence in governance. Each problem is explained more fully in this report, along with five strategies to address them.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
Old Assumptions, New Realities
The Truth About Wages and Retirement Benefits For Government Employees
March 31, 2006
This report summarizes a more detailed study prepared by CBC, “The Case for Redesigning Retirement Benefits for New York’s Public Employees,” released in 2005. For decades the popular image of government employment has involved the tradeoff of lower wages for job security and relatively generous retirement benefits. That image, while still widespread, is no longer the reality.
Report
Public Workforce
The Citizens' Stakes in Collective Bargaining
Recommendations for the Current Negotiations with the Municipal Employee Unions
December 12, 2000
Report presenting recommendations for contracts to be negotiated with municipal employees that would help reduce the cost of public services, improve the quality of those services, and enhance the income and working conditions of New York's civil servants.
Report
Capital Spending
An Affordable Debt Policy for New York State and New York City
October 17, 2000
Presents a new approach for determining how much the State and City should borrow, including criteria for deciding how much state and local debt is affordable.