Search
Showing 1 - 20 of 55
Report
Economic Development
Avoiding Past Mistakes
Principles for Governing Regional Economic Development Councils
September 12, 2011
This report examines New York State economic development programs' past mistakes and explores the potential to improve meaningful outcomes via new regional councils designed to streamline and coordinate the current array of state economic development efforts. It warns of the danger that new regional councils will become new heads on the already huge an unwieldy New York State economic development portfolio.
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.
Report
State Budget
Giving and Getting
Regional Distribution of Revenue and Spending in New York State Budget
December 19, 2011
The report analyzes the regional distribution of revenues collected and dollars spent within the New York State budget by examining actual receipts and expenditures for the 2009-10 fiscal year. It finds that downstate gives more to the State in taxes and revenues than it gets back in expenditures for services and other assistance and that upstate gets more than it gives.
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.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony on NYC Solid Waste Management Practices
Submitted to NYC Council Committee on Sanitation & Solid Waste Management
October 27, 2011
New York is being wasteful in its waste management practices. We could save tens of millions, perhaps even hundreds of millions, of dollars without harming the environment by more sensibly managing New Yorkers’ solid waste. An improved system for waste collection and disposal could prevent further reductions in essential services in coming budgets.
Report
Taxes
How Much Do Taxes Matter?
A Citizens Budget Commission Panel Discussion
December 11, 2006
In this background paper prepared for a panel discussion "How Much Do Taxes Matter? New York City's Tax Burden and Economic Competitiveness," which was convened by CBC on December 11, 2006, Elizabeth Roistacher, professor of economics at CUNY Queens College, summarizes the econometric literature that tries to model the relationship between tax levels and economic growth.
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.
Report
State Budget
The Broken Umbrella
How to Make New York State's Rainy Day Fund More Useful
June 05, 2011
This report explores the reasons why New York has not developed an effective rainy day fund and presents four guidelines for how the State can create a more useful rainy day fund.
Report
Energy & Environment
New York’s Green Policies
Too Much or Too Little – A Competitive Perspective
April 03, 2011
This report assesses how New York compares to other cities in pursuing green objectives and suggests how New York’s leaders can set priorities for taking additional steps to promote environmental goals in ways that align with goals of economic growth and urban competitiveness.
Blog
Economic Development
End the Empire Zones Program and Adopt Excelsior
March 24, 2010
Explains why Empire Zones were ineffective and argues in favor of the improved features of Excelsior tax credits.
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.
Blog
City Budget
The City’s FY 2011 Budget: The Buck Stops Here
July 12, 2010
With significant budget gaps looming in the outyears and the end of nearly a decade of multi-billion dollar surpluses, it is disappointing that more has not been done to lower spending.
Video
Health Care
No Easy Solution: Effective Medicaid Cost Control
A Panel Discussion
January 27, 2011
A recent report by the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) found that elderly and disabled beneficiaries comprise fewer than one in four Medicaid enrollees in New York but account for nearly three of every four program dollars spent. Achieving cost savings among this population, while preserving access to high-quality services, challenges the State to develop creative strategies beyond blunt rate cuts. The CBC and New York State Health Foundation convened a panel of healthcare experts to explore the ideas expounded in the report.
Report
Education
Striking a Balance
Financing Education Reform in the Most Heavily-Taxed State
November 01, 2006
Following up on its previous research on the issues surrounding the State Court’s decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case, CBC hosted two expert panel discussions focusing on key issues in education finance reform. This brief recounts the proceedings from the second of those discussions, which took place on April 27, 2006. The discussion focused on responsibly generating revenues to fund the Court’s mandate, thinking about other changes needed to accomplish reform, and developing the role of the business community in seeing reform across the finish line.
Blog
City Budget
New York City’s Adopted Budget: Missed Opportunities
July 05, 2011
In adopting the FY2012 budget, City leaders missed the opportunity to address the big-ticket items – health insurance, pensions and debt service – whose unchecked growth will continue to dominate the budget and result in service reductions and layoffs.
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.
Report
Transportation
How To Balance the MTA's Budget
June 27, 2006
In order for New York to maintain a strong and vibrant economy, its transportation system has to be kept up to par and expanded to meet future needs. This report examines the two problems and suggests alternative financing policies for the MTA that would balance its operating budget and provide sufficient capital to accelerate the pace at which its facilities are brought to a state of good repair.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
School Districts Savings by Following State Practices for Employee Health Insurance
February 01, 2011
Negotiating increases in premium sharing with school employee unions would provide immediate savings and reduce future costs.