What's the [DATA] Point?

What's the [DATA] Point? is a podcast by Citizens Budget Commission and Gotham Gazette on New York State and City policies.

 

It's hosted by Ben Max, Executive Editor of Gotham Gazette, and Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission, and produced by Kevin Medina and William J. Rice.

 

Stream below or download on your phone via iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher.

 

Episodes

98,000, with Riley Edwards

July 19, 2019
98,000 is the number of seats for public school students constructed by the NYC School Construction Authority - about twice as many as in Yankee Stadium. Riley Edwards discusses alternative strategies for solving the crowding problem.

$3.2 billion, with NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer

July 03, 2019
$3.2 billion is the amount NYC spends on homeless services, double what was spent in 2014, earning the agencies providing these services a spot on NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer's Agency Watch List. Learn more about this list and the Comptroller's assessment of the City budget, rent regulation reform, and more.

6/15, the Rent Regulation Edition

June 07, 2019
6/15 is the date when NYS rent laws are set to expire. Strengthening rent regulation is a top priority for the Governor and state lawmakers in the closing days of the legislative session. Listen to REBNY President John Banks and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein share their perspectives.

1.28 cents, with Patrick Orecki

May 23, 2019
1.28 cents is the amount New York collects in fuel taxes for every vehicle mile driven. A recent CBC report "Switching Gears" explored the implementation of an innovative approach to finance highway and bridge improvements: a vehicle-miles traveled fee. What’s a VMT, and how does it work? CBC's Patrick Orecki joined the podcast to discuss what a VMT might look like in New York.

125,323, with Meera Joshi

May 09, 2019
125,323 is the number of vehicles licensed by the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission in 2018. The dramatic rise of for-hire vehicles has posed new challenges, and at the forefront of using data to tackle these challenges was former TLC Commissioner Meera Joshi, now a visiting scholar at NYU Wagner.

$92.5 billion, with Yoav Gonen

April 30, 2019
$92.5 billion is the size of the NYC Executive Budget for FY 2020, an increase of 29% in total spending since Bill de Blasio's first year as Mayor. Joining the podcast to review budget highlights is Yoav Gonen, City Hall reporter for The City.

Episode 71: 1,112,975, with Dr. Mitchell Katz

April 04, 2019
1,112,975 is the number of unique patients served by NYC Health + Hospitals in FY 2018. H+H is under fiscal pressure and projects cash loses in future years. Dr. Mitchell Katz joined the podcast to discuss his transformation plan to improve H+H's fiscal stability.

$175.5 billion, with David Friedfel and Patrick Orecki

April 02, 2019
$175.5 billion, the size of the NYS Budget for FY 2020 enacted by the Legislature. The budget includes several notable policy changes, such as funding and new reforms at the MTA. CBC's David Friedfel and Patrick Orecki discuss the key takeaways.