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Blog
Public Workforce
Why Spend to Save?
Early Retirement Incentives Save Less than Attrition
January 28, 2021
ERIs are a more costly workforce reduction strategy than attrition or layoffs.
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
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.
Report
Health Care
Analysis of the New York State Medicaid Program and Identification of Potential Cost-Containment Opportunities
November 17, 2010
This report identifies trends in expenditures and enrollment in New York’s Medicaid program.
Report
City Budget
Unpacking the PEG
Examining the Impact of the NYC November 2023 Financial Plan Savings
January 10, 2024
Agencies should continue to identify efficiency savings that do not affect critical program 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.
Blog
Economic Development
Complement, Don't Duplicate
Targeting NYC Small Business Recovery Programs
June 21, 2021
It is critically important for the City to identify potential gaps first by determining which businesses are eligible for which existing programs and whether those programs reasonably meet their needs.
Press Release
CBC News
CBC Releases "Unpacking the PEG: Examining the Impact of the NYC November 2023 Financial Plan Savings"
January 10, 2024
Mayor Eric Adams latest round of spending reductions only moderately affects direct services to New Yorkers and chips away at the City’s massive and still-troubling budget gaps.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Simple But Significant
Savings from the Elimination of the Medicare Part B Reimbursement
December 19, 2010
As New York’s elected officials consider options for balancing budgets in the face of record deficits, they should eliminate a public employee fringe benefit rarely offered anywhere else: reimbursement for Medicare Part B premiums.
Press Release
CBC News
WNBC-TV is co-hosting debates with Citizens Budget Commission, Telemundo 47, Politico, and New York Urban League
March 11, 2021
NYC Votes today announced the broadcast sponsors and schedule for the 2021 citywide Debate Program.
Blog
Public Workforce
A Premium Option
School Districts Can Save $850 Million By Following the State’s Lead on Health Insurance
February 22, 2021
In response to New York State’s fiscal year 2022 budget gap, the executive budget calls for a change to the composition of school funding.
Press Release
CBC News
Straight from New Yorkers:
CBC Resident Survey Gives Comprehensive View of Satisfaction with Quality of Life, City Services
March 19, 2024
CBC’s first post-pandemic Resident Survey shows sharp drops in citywide satisfaction ratings from 2017; New Yorkers rate life in their neighborhoods generally higher than citywide quality of life; Adams Administration’s priorities align with those of New Yorkers
Blog
City Budget
Bridge Over Troubled Fiscal Waters?
Only if Federal Aid Is Used Wisely
March 15, 2021
With more than $5 billion in additional federal relief expected to flow to New York City, the appropriate course of action now would be to address the most pressing pandemic and related expenses and responsibly backfill shortfalls in tax revenues temporarily but resist the urge to fund programs with recurring costs without a long run fiscal stability plan.
Report
City Budget
Don’t Step Off the Cliff
Fiscal Cliffs and Budget Gaps in New York City’s Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Budget
February 08, 2024
To balance the fiscal year 2025 budget while also ensuring projected spending fully supports all planned programs, the City should implement an additional PEG in the Executive Budget and shrink or eliminate programs that the available resources cannot fully support.
Report
Transportation
The Track to Fiscal Stability
Operations Reforms for the MTA
May 25, 2021
Given the implementation challenges, saving the full $2.9 billion by 2024 may not be likely. Still, significant changes should be pursued—and achieved—if the MTA is to be on a fiscally sustainable path.
Blog
Transportation
Light, at the Beginning of the Tunnel
What to Look for in the MTA 2021 July Financial Plan
July 20, 2021
While the path to achieving operating savings is hard, it is much preferable to phase in these savings over the next few years than to have massive fare and toll increases, economically damaging service cuts, or significant increases in dedicated taxes and subsidies.
Report
City Budget
Real Numbers, Real Choices
Recommendations for a Clearer Fiscal View in the NYC Executive Budget
April 18, 2024
New York City’s long-run fiscal stability is precarious, and its short-term prospects are uncertain. Major causes of this uncertainty are revenue estimates that may be unreasonably conservative and spending estimates for current programs that are alarmingly understated.
Statement
City Budget
Statement on the New York City Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Budget
January 16, 2024
While Mayor Adams leveraged strong revenues and wisely implemented two rounds of PEG savings to balance the Preliminary Budget, many more hard choices are still needed to stave off a fiscal reckoning.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony on Oversight of Changes to Municipal Retirees’ Health Care Plan
Testimony before the City Council Committee on Civil Service and Labor
October 28, 2021
This agreement starts right and then veers off course to miss the finish line because the resulting savings do not flow to the City’s bottom line.
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.