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Blog
City Budget
The Citywide Savings Program: Bolder Steps Needed to Make Government More Efficient
May 24, 2016
Mayor Bill de Blasio's latest Citywide Savings Program proposes multiyear savings of $5.4 billion compared to just $2.9 billion proposed in last year’s Executive Budget. The $5.4 billion represents 1.7 percent of city-funded spending over the financial plan period; this is in the range of savings in Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plans for each of the last four years of his administration. While this may seem like a bold stride, the new CSP still falls short in the nature of its savings proposals.
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.
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.
Blog
City Budget
An Insufficient Savings Plan
February 24, 2016
Mayor Bill de Blasio's FY2017 budget proposal increased city-funded spending by $2.7 billion and included a Citywide Savings Program, or CSP, it was small relative to the size of the budget and savings programs of past years and insufficient to meaningfully offset the cost of new initiatives or to boost reserves.
Statement
City Budget
CBC Statement on NYC’s November 2021 Financial Plan for Fiscal Years 2022 to 2025
November 30, 2021
While the plan reduces the budget gaps to $2.9 billion for next year, $2.7 billion in fiscal year 2024, and $2.1 billion in fiscal year 2025, in reality the gaps are about $750 million higher annually because the plan includes illusionary labor and attrition savings.
Statement
City Budget
Statement on the NYC Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2022
June 30, 2021
Despite fiscal year 2021 tax revenues being $2.1 billion more than previously expected and $15 billion in additional federal aid, the budget hamstrings the next Administration with sizable future budget gaps.
Blog
Public Workforce
Rising Again
City Reverses Course on Workforce Reduction
June 08, 2021
With annual budget gaps in fiscal years 2023 to 2025 nearing $5 billion (including unspecified labor savings), the City should not increase the size of its workforce.
Statement
City Budget
Statement on the NYC Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2022
April 26, 2021
The Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 includes some commendable components but essentially fails to leverage the historic opportunity enabled by federal aid, state education support, and higher tax revenue to both provide essential services now and stabilize the City’s fiscal future
Blog
City Budget
To Cross the Bridge Wisely
Strategies for NYC’s Fiscal Year 2022 Executive Budget
April 20, 2021
The soon to be released Fiscal Year 2022 Executive Budget will reveal how the Mayor proposes to address the City’s extraordinary fiscal circumstances that recently have brightened
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony on Getting to Zero Waste
Submitted to the New York City Council's Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management
April 21, 2021
Achieving zero waste requires a holistic approach that uses City resources efficiently, incentivizes residents to improve their habits, and implements targeted programs and policies.
Report
City Budget
Getting the Basics Right
Fiscal, Managerial, and Policy Priorities for Recovery, Stability and Prosperity
November 08, 2021
To ensure that New York recovers, stabilizes, and ultimately thrives, the incoming Administration should set and implement fiscal, managerial, and policy priorities that will boost the city’s economy and competitiveness, and provide the services and opportunities necessary for New Yorkers to flourish.
Statement
City Budget
CBC Statement on the NYC Preliminary Budget for FY2022
January 14, 2021
Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) President Andrew S. Rein released this statement on the New York City Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2022:
Report
Energy & Environment
Can We Have Our Cake and Compost It Too?
An Analysis of Organic Waste Diversion in New York City
February 02, 2016
This report examines the feasibility and the cost of options for expanding the Department of Sanitation's organic waste program.
Testimony
Energy & Environment
Testimony to Reducing Food Waste in New York City
Submitted to NYC Council Committee on Solid Waste and Sanitation
June 07, 2016
Unless residential trash collection costs are reduced, new program costs will greatly overwhelm any potential savings from landfill reduction. A significant expansion of food waste collection may also outpace regional processing infrastructure.
Podcast episode
City Budget
$5.3 billion, CBC's Mayoral Forum
February 28, 2021
$5.3 billion is the current estimate of the budget gap the next Mayor will have to close in her or his first year. Ben and CBC President Andrew Rein introduce listeners to CBC's mayoral candidates forum "Managing NYC’s Fiscal Crisis" that featured 10-minute conversations with each of eight candidates: Maya Wiley, Kathryn Garcia, Andrew Yang, Dianne Morales, Eric Adams, Ray McGuire, Scott Stringer, and Shaun Donovan. Each candidate presented their plan to manage the crisis, answered targeted questions, and identified positions on key fiscal issues in a lightning round.
Report
City Budget
Federal Aid Now, Fiscal Cliffs Later
The Missed Opportunity for NYC Budget Stability
May 24, 2021
Greater detail is needed to address these shortcomings and facilitate the transparency and accountability that should accompany this historic level of resources and the opportunity they provide.
Op Ed
City Budget
Fed aid is a bridge; stable shore needed: American Rescue Plan good for NYC only if used prudently
New York Daily News
March 13, 2021
The American Rescue Plan will not only provide tremendous support to individuals, families, businesses and organizations, but can be a game-changer for New York state and city government. Success, however, is far from guaranteed.
Op Ed
City Budget
A Big Budget Briefing for Eric Adams
New York Daily News
November 16, 2021
Upon getting elected, Mayor-elect Eric Adams vowed to “get stuff done.” Adams’ focus on delivering core services and managing the budget is exactly right.
Report
Taxes
New York City Property Taxes
3 Things Owners and Renters Should Know
December 22, 2016
Why do owners of the same type of property pay vastly different rates?
Blog
City Budget
The “20-20-20-20” Dilemma: Legacy Costs in the New York City Budget
July 22, 2016
A giant slice of the New York City budget pays for costs that are the legacy of commitments made in the past: debt service, pensions, and retiree health insurance. These legacy costs already exceed 20 percent of the budget and will expand by 20 percent to more than $20 billion in annual spending by fiscal year 2020.