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Blog
City Budget
City's Fourth Extension of the School Bus Grant Program Should Be Rejected
March 08, 2018
The City Council should reject this program, and all new school bus contracts should be awarded with an eye toward realizing savings in the costs of pupil transportation, now more than $1.2 billion.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
A Budget Proposal That Seems Fiscally Responsible, But Doesn’t Tackle the True Problem
February 22, 2018
It's time to eliminate the expensive and risky benefits provided by the TDA.
Blog
Taxes
Let a Sleeping Tax Lie
New York Should Reject Proposals to Reinstate the Stock Transfer Tax
November 09, 2020
If the rebate were eliminated, essentially putting the tax back into effect, New York would become the only state to impose such a tax on the sale and transfer of stock.
Blog
City Budget
FY2021 Agency Budget Realities
Increases vs. Decreases in City-Funded Spending
September 22, 2020
The City will likely need to implement additional savings programs in fiscal year 2021, as well as to identify savings to close the $4.2 billion gap in fiscal year 2022.
Blog
State Budget
Flipping the Switch
Difficult Fiscal Decisions Compound as State Shifts from Spending Growth to Cuts
July 15, 2020
Flipping the switch from robust spending growth to spending cuts will require making significant hard choices to balance the budget and reduce future fiscal gaps.
Blog
Taxes
Getting Into the Weeds About Potential Recreational Marijuana Revenues
November 16, 2020
State leaders should be cautious about relying on these potential revenues to help close budget gaps.
Blog
State Budget
2020 Vision
A Four-Pronged Approach to Focus on a Balanced, Transparent State Budget
January 09, 2020
As New York State aims to remedy the current year deficit and close next year’s budget gap, State leaders should be striving to prepare the State for the future.
Blog
City Budget
NYC FY2021 Adopted Budget
Short-Term Balance, Long-Term Challenge
July 21, 2020
After tense negotiations and a close vote ending early morning July 1, the City adopted an $88.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2021.
Blog
Health Care
Maintaining Momentum on Medicaid Redesign
March 27, 2020
To ensure a sustainable Medicaid program that can help New Yorkers most in need in the future, the Executive and Legislature should continue the course correction started by the MRT, especially as they enact a budget during these troubled times.
Blog
City Budget
What to Look for in the NYC November Modification
November 10, 2020
While the prospects for additional federal stimulus may now be brighter, federal aid will not solve all the City’s fiscal problems, but can serve as a bridge to fiscal stability if City leaders take appropriate actions.
Blog
City Budget
Peeking Behind the Curtain
Understanding How Policies, Priorities, Prices, and Mandates Increase NYC Spending
January 28, 2020
Spending is up by almost $20 billion. Here's where it went.
Blog
Economic Development
Breaking Down the Amazon HQ2 Deal:
Facts and Takeaways
November 21, 2018
Amazon has committed to creating 25,000 full-time high-paying jobs over ten years, investing approximately $2.5 billion, and building 4 million square feet of office space at its new headquarters in Long Island City, with the possibility of expanding to 8 million square feet and 40,000 jobs. To facilitate this investment, Amazon will receive benefits of up to $1.7 billion from New York State and $1.8 billion from New York City. This blog explains the incentive package provided by the State and City and offers five takeaways about the deal and its lessons for future economic development policy.
Blog
Transportation
How Will The MTA Fight Its Four-Alarm Fire?
July 13, 2020
Federal aid should be a significant contributor to solving this crisis. Yet, even if the MTA receives all the aid it has requested, its leaders face hard choices about how to manage the resources they control.
Blog
Taxes
Live From New York, It’s Excessive Tax Incentives!
October 28, 2020
Since 2004 New York State has allocated $7.8 billion in tax incentives to the film and television industry—almost enough to build two Mario M. Cuomo bridges or two Freedom Towers.
Blog
City Budget
The City’s Fiscal Year 2021 Executive Budget
Slower But Still Growing
April 17, 2020
A clear understanding of the trajectory of the budget requires adjustments for the timing of spending, the use of reserves, and assumed federal aid.
Blog
State Budget
5 Proposals that Should be Left Out of the FY21 Enacted Budget
March 29, 2020
New York State’s bleak fiscal outlook requires lawmakers pass a “bare bones” fiscal year 2021 budget that is focused on funding critical services and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blog
State Budget
New York Taxes: Layers of Liability
June 25, 2020
Any consideration of tax increases should include the impact on State and local economic competitiveness
Blog
City Budget
Take the NYC Fiscal Monitor Reports with a Grain of Salt
January 05, 2018
NYC's four institutional fiscal are generally optimistic about the City's fiscal health; read why that should be taken with a grain of salt.
Blog
Economic Development
Governor Should Reject Ten Economic Development Bills
June 25, 2018
Ten bills to expand economic development spending had been passed by both houses of the legislature and will eventually end up on the Governor’s desk to sign or veto.
Blog
Education
Target School Aid to Avoid the Most Painful Cuts
May 12, 2020
With the State budget being realigned, now is the time to revisit how New York distributes its school aid dollars by accounting for student need, district wealth, and total district revenues.