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Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on Public Safety Preliminary Budget Hearing
Submitted to the City Council Committee on Public Safety
March 20, 2024
CBC recently released “Straight from New Yorkers,” our 2023 Resident Survey, which provides a comprehensive, statistically valid, post-pandemic view into how New Yorkers feel about the quality of life in the city and how they rate government services.
Testimony
Housing
Testimony on the New York City Housing Authority and the City’s Preliminary Fiscal Year 2025 Budget
New York City Council Committee on Public Housing
March 12, 2024
Many critical steps should be taken quickly to stabilize NYCHA’s budget and improve physical conditions.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on NYC Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Budget
Submitted to the New York City Council Finance Committee
March 04, 2024
CBC’s analysis finds that the Preliminary Budget presents balanced budgets for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 as required by law; however, proposed spending in fiscal year 2025 is short by $3.6 billion needed to continue the current level of services.
Testimony
Transportation
Public Comment on the Proposed Structure For the Central Business District Tolling Program
Submitted to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
February 29, 2024
While the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) has long held the position that there should not be credits for bridge or tunnel crossings, we believe the Traffic Mobility Review Board’s (TMRB) congestion pricing toll recommendations, as a whole, are reasonable.
Op Ed
City Budget
Taking Control of New York’s Budgetary Future
Vital City
January 25, 2024
Budget season kicked off with an Albany-New York City doubleheader last week, with brightening skies in both places thanks to proactive efforts to cut costs (especially in the city) and a resilient economy that is bringing in higher-than-projected tax receipts.
Op Ed
Transportation
The MTA's Closely Guarded Secret
New Yorkers should be told how much it would cost to fix the entire transit system
December 19, 2017
At next month’s State of the State address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to unveil a congestion-pricing proposal that would generate a dedicated funding stream for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Op Ed
State Budget
Repeal the Film Tax Credit, But Don't Expect Savings Just Yet
Even if this wasteful program is killed in 2018, its expenditures will continue for years
December 13, 2017
The Citizens Budget Commission is a long-time critic of the New York State Film Tax Credit program and supports its repeal. However, due to some unusual provisions of state tax law, repeal of the credit will not yield immediate state savings.
Testimony
Economic Development
Testimony on Economic Development Programs
Given to the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry, and the Standing Committee on Small Business
November 13, 2017
Testimony on economic development programs that leverage state funds to translate technological advancements into viable long-term business development and economic growth.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony on Getting to Zero Waste by 2030
Submitted to the NYC Council Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management
September 18, 2017
The plan "One New York: The Plan for a Strong and Just City" set a goal of zero waste by 2030. Though progress has been made, there is a long way to go to achieve cost-efficient waste collection, disposal systems, and operations.
Op Ed
City Budget
How Queens Residents Rate City Services And Quality Of Life
August 11, 2017
The Citizens Budget Commission recently released the results of a citywide survey of residents’ satisfaction with municipal services and the quality of life in their neighborhoods and across the city.
Testimony
Transportation
Improving the New York City Subway System
Submitted to the NYC Council Committee on Transportation
August 08, 2017
System enhancements have often been prioritized over capital improvements of the MTA's infrastructure. The sensible and ambitious turnaround plan should be funded by motorists and increased labor productivity.
Op Ed
Transportation
Shared sacrifice to save the subways
It's not just the mayor and governor; transit workers and motorists must chip in, too
July 28, 2017
Neither the “city” nor the “state” is a person with a bank account: it is taxpayers who are being called upon to foot the bill. Motorists and workers should also share the burden.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony in Support of the Open Budget Act
Delivered Before the New York City Council Committee on Finance
June 12, 2017
CBC supports Intro #1176 to require OMB to make relevant budgetary documents available on the city’s website; the OpenData web portal; and via an open application program interface in both a human-readable and machine-readable format.
Op Ed
City Budget
Inside New Yorkers’ Satisfaction, or Lack Thereof, with City Services
June 01, 2017
New Yorkers are notoriously opinionated, but how often do they get to tell city leaders what they think?
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on the NYC FY2018 Executive Budget
Submitted to the NYC Council Finance Committee
May 25, 2017
As City leaders move toward adopting the budget, CBC recommends greater spending restraint; increasing efficiency savings; bolstering reserves; and improving the capital planning process.
Testimony
Education
Public Comment on School Planning and Siting Process
Submitted to the NYC Council Working Group on School Planning, Siting, and Overcrowding
May 24, 2017
CBC offers two recommendations for improving the school planning and siting process: maximize use of existing capacity, and target new capacity to areas with the highest need.
Op Ed
City Budget
End de Blasio’s giveaway to bus companies
May 09, 2017
The program was bad policy from the outset-- and was extended for a third year. The City Council should defund it when the budget is adopted.
Op Ed
Transportation
Funding Fares Should Be the City's Responsiblity
April 02, 2017
If the mayor supports the policy, it should be a priority that is accommodated within the city’s financial plan.
Op Ed
Education
Fix NY's broken formula for distributing school aid
March 22, 2017
How much more funding should New York state provide to Syracuse public schools? A report by the Citizens Budget Commission, for which I was the primary author, says that an increase of $83 million is needed for the City of Syracuse school district.
Op Ed
Education
How Much More State Education Funding Is Needed?
March 08, 2017
With reforms to the way funding is distributed, the State can fund a "sound, basic education" with $569 million more in annual funding.