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Letter
Education
CBC Urges Veto of Costly Special Education Mandate
July 27, 2012
This letter urges Governor Cuomo to veto a bill that would allow for consideration of a child’s “home environment and family background” in determining special education placements. This provision has the potential to create significant costs for school districts.
Testimony
Education
Testimony to the Education Reform Commission
July 26, 2012
Simply put, the aggregate amount of money is not the problem. Rather, current funding needs to be re-targeted to reflect new priorities.
Letter
Transportation
CBC Encourages MTA to Link Fares to Operating Expenses; Explore Peak Pricing
September 30, 2010
The CBC seeks to stress two points: 1) the fare increases to be approved for January 2011 and proposed for January 2013 should move toward establishing a long-term policy to cover half of operating expenses with fare revenue, and 2) the MTA should explore the feasibility of incorporating the practice of “peak pricing" for subways and buses.
Letter
City Budget
CBC Urges Gov. Cuomo to Veto Arbitrary Training Mandate for Firefighters
September 29, 2010
CBC recommends to the governor that A9885/S6784, which mandates that New York City firefighters be provided an additional 80 hours of training on the Buildings and Fire Codes, be vetoed because it is an arbitrary addition to existing preparation that is unnecessary and financially burdensome.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony to the New York City Charter Revision Commission
August 02, 2010
CBC submits this testimony to express our opposition to granting charter-mandated formula budgets to certain City offices, as doing so would be fiscally imprudent and would undermine the long-established process by which the Mayor and the City Council establish budget priorities as elected representatives.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Encourages Governor Paterson to Veto Benefit Sweeteners
July 22, 2010
The fiscal realities of the time have not deterred the Legislature from advancing dozens of bills enhancing benefits for State and local employees and retirees. Three were already sent to you for consideration this week; another will be shortly. We are writing to ask that you veto them.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony to the NYC Council Finance Committee on FY 2011 Executive Budget
June 07, 2010
As the City begins a fragile economic recovery, this financial plan presents a crucial opportunity to take actions that will place the City on a firmer fiscal footing and ensure its competitiveness for the long-term.
Letter
Economic Development
CBC Urges the State Legislature to Let the Empire Zones Program Sunset
April 12, 2010
This letter was written to urge the State legislature to allow the seriously flawed Empire Zones program to sunset as of June 30, 2010, as established by law, and to enact the Excelsior program as proposed by the Governor.
Testimony
State Budget
Testimony on Improving the State Budgetary Process
Delivered to the Select Committee on Budget and Tax Reform
December 17, 2009
In this testimony the CBC assesses the effectiveness of provisions in the New York State Budget Reform Act of 2007 and makes additional recommendations for improving transparency, forecasting, and flexibility.
Testimony
Transportation
Testimony on 2010 MTA Capital Plan
Delivered to State Senate Standing Committees
December 03, 2009
Testimony before the New York State Senate Standing Committees on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions and Investigations and Government Operations on the MTA's 2010-2014 capital plan.
Testimony
Economic Development
Testimony on Empire Zone Program
Submitted to NY City Council Economic Development Committee
November 24, 2009
The CBC argued that the Empire Zone program's mission has been lost, the program's objectives are not measured consistently, local agencies do not hold firms accountable for the economic commitments they make, and the program is failing to meet the targets firms set when they are approved for benefits.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony on NY Power Authority Economic Development Programs
Delivered to a Joint Session of State Committees
September 23, 2009
A testimony before a number of State Senate and Assembly committees which reviews the findings of a recent CBC report on the efficacy of NYPA's economic development programs.
Testimony
Transportation
Testimony on Challenges Facing the MTA
Submitted to Senate Finance Committee
September 03, 2009
Testimony of CBC President Carol Kellermann to the New York State Senate Finance Committee regarding the critical challenges that will face the MTA in the coming years, including balancing the MTA's operating budget, financing new capital investments, and planning and implementing capital projects.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Commends Legislators Who Voted Against Postponing Pension Contributions
July 14, 2009
CBC commends legislators for voting against A9037/S52204, a bill that would have allowed state and local governments to postpone paying the full required annual contributions to their employee pension funds.
Letter
City Budget
CBC Proposes a New Fiscal Strategy for the City's FY2010 Budget
June 10, 2009
This letter to the mayor, speaker, and chairman of the finance committee outlines four key elements of a new fiscal strategy that would address the structural imbalance in the City's budget due to the ongoing recession.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Encourages Legislatures to Avoid Pension Sweetener Legislation
June 02, 2009
This letter notifies the Legislature that the CBC has issued a "Pension Sweetener Scorecard" that tracks legislative and gubernatorial actions regarding pension benefits and highlights those actions for the media and the public. These sweeteners are often enacted over the objections of elected heads of local governments and always at the expense of taxpayers.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Urges the Governor to Veto a Benefit Sweetener for Police and Firefighters
May 29, 2009
This letter from the CBC urges the Governor to veto A3426/S1409, a bill that would extend Tier II provisions to all police officers and firefighters who join a public retirement system on or after July 1, 2009 to July 1, 2011.
Letter
Pensions & Benefits
CBC Urges Governor Paterson to Veto Costly Mandate for Retired Teachers
May 12, 2009
This letter from the CBC urges the Governor to veto A4628, a bill that would renew the provision that prohibits school districts from reducing the health insurance benefits offered to retirees unless the changes are approved by the local teachers union.
Letter
Transportation
CBC and Others Outline a Plan to Finance Long-Term Capital Needs of the MTA
May 05, 2009
This letter from the CBC and other advocates outlines a plan to finance the long-term capital needs of the MTA and its immediate operating deficit. The mobility tax should be used for expenses related to the MTA's capital plan, not for operating expenses after the first year.
Testimony
Education
Testimony on Improving the NYC Department of Education's Fiscal Transparency
Submitted to the NY City Council's Joint Education and Contract Committee
April 11, 2009
CBC submits this written testimony to the City Council joint Education and Contracts Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Education's contracting and procurement process; CBC has two recommendations to increase accountability and transparency with regard to all of DOE’s fiscal operations, including contracting and procurement.