Search
Showing 1 - 19 of 19
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
Education
Stretching New York’s Education Dollar: Improving Pupil Transportation Aid Formulas
December 12, 2012
School districts in New York spent $1,100 per pupil on average on transportation in 2010, more than any other state and 140 percent above the U.S. average of $459.
Blog
State Budget
How Sick Leave Can Be Bad for a Locality's Fiscal Health
(And Health Insurance May Be Even Worse)
July 01, 2012
“Excusable” borrowing appears now to be growing, extending to accrued sick leave and vacation days that are claimed by departing employees without money having been set aside to pay for them.
Blog
State Budget
Pluses Outweigh Minuses in Responsible, On-Time NYS Budget
April 03, 2012
What gets a thumbs up or a thumbs down in the Enacted State Budget for FY2013?
Blog
Education
Improving the Poorly Targeted Proposed School Aid Increase
March 20, 2012
Reviews and recommends changes to the school aid proposal made in the NYS Executive Budget for FY2013.
Blog
Energy & Environment
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Wins the 2012 CBC Prize for Public Service Innovation
February 06, 2012
The Citizens Budget Commission is pleased to announce the winner of its 2012 CBC Prize for Public Service Innovation is the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
Blog
Health Care
Improving the Way New York Pays for Medicaid
January 24, 2012
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s budget proposals for fiscal year 2012-13 include an important first step towards fixing a longstanding flaw in the way New York pays for its Medicaid program.
Blog
State Budget
Jump Starting Performance Management in New York State Government (Again)
January 09, 2012
The SAGE Commission's recommendation represents the third time in the past decade performance measurement and management has been prioritized; let’s hope the third time is the charm.
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
Education
Needed Mandate Relief on the Way?
November 01, 2011
New York State imposes more than 200 special education mandates above and beyond those required by federal law; changes are needed to bring NY in line with other states.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
How Much Did New York’s 2010 Early Retirement Incentive Save?
October 25, 2011
The CBC estimates that early retirement incentives saved taxpayers $681 million savings- less than would have been saved if the Governor had been able to achieve through layoffs.
Blog
Health Care
Cause for Concern with the Medicaid Redesign Team Implementation
October 13, 2011
NY is roughly halfway to meeting its budgeted Medicaid savings target of $2.2 billion for fiscal year 2012. A closer look suggests there is cause for concern that some of the savings may not be implemented on time.
Blog
State Budget
Stop the Wishful Thinking about a New York State Mid-Year “Surplus”
August 22, 2011
Talk of a surplus and using it for new initiatives should end immediately.
Blog
Public Workforce
State Agreement Is a Template to Avoid City Layoffs
June 22, 2011
Following the template provided by Governor Cuomo and the CSEA can produce $1.4 billion in savings for New York City in fiscal year 2012 – more than enough to avert layoffs and other cuts.
Blog
Education
A Closer Look at School Aid Cuts
March 31, 2011
Changes made in the Enacted NYS FY2012 Budget “leveled” out the Governor’s original school aid proposal, which had been targeted so that the percent cut generally increased as the wealth of the district increased.
Blog
Health Care
Medicaid Redesign – Significant Progress On A Tough Task
March 09, 2011
The Medicaid Redesign Team changed the dynamic of Medicaid budgeting by focusing many of the stakeholders on the same goal: controlling spending while improving quality of care. The collaborative process promises to be a useful model as reform efforts continue.
Blog
Taxes
New Revenues and the Path to Sustainable State Spending
March 07, 2011
Since the onset of the national recession the State has relied more extensively on new revenue measures than on recurring spending cuts.
Blog
Education
State School Aid
The Neediest Districts Could Be Spared $750 million in Cuts through Better Targeted Reductions
February 27, 2011
The overall reduction in school aid in the NY State FY2012 Executive Budget is necessary to bring spending to a more sustainable level, but the cuts’ impacts on individual districts should be modified.