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Blog
Economic Development
NY’s Economic Development Programs Costliest in the Nation
April 07, 2017
It's official: NY's economic development programs cost more than in any other state.
Statement
State Budget
Statement on Economic Development Database and Film Tax Credit in the Fiscal Year 2023 Enacted Budget
April 08, 2022
For too long New York has been a leader in economic development spending, but not a leader in economic development program results.
Report
Taxes
Tax Policy Choices and New York City's Competitive Position
The Most Important Economic and Fiscal Decisions Facing the Next Mayor
December 06, 2013
The purpose of this background paper is to help inform tax policy choices that the new mayoral administration may face. It examines levels of taxation in New York City compared to other cities, and it reviews research on how taxes affect the local economy and migration patterns.
Testimony
City Budget
Testimony Examining Health Care Savings Under Recent Collective Bargaining Agreements
Delivered to the NYC Council Committee on Finance
April 01, 2015
Savings that would have normally been reserved for general budget needs—such as funding libraries or maintaining public parks—and are attributable to a national slowdown in health care costs, are now being credited to the health savings agreement.
Video
City Budget
Tax Revenue Panel
The Most Important Economic and Fiscal Decisions Facing the Next Mayor
December 06, 2013
This panel discusses options to reform and increase the property tax; and the impact of tax levels on residential and business location decisions.
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.
Report
Taxes
Options for Property Tax Reform: Equitable Revenue Raising Reforms for NYC's Property Tax
The Most Important Economic and Fiscal Decisions Facing the Next Mayor
December 05, 2013
The purpose of this report is to describe three options for increasing property tax revenues. The first of these options maintains status quo inequities; in contrast, the other two address some major problems with fairness and efficiency that characterize current policy.
Testimony
Pensions & Benefits
Testimony on Health Care Savings Under Recent Collective Bargaining Agreements
Delivered to NYC Council Committees on Finance and Civil Service
February 26, 2016
CBC has been monitoring New York City's efforts to find health savings. CBC has long advocated negotiating changes to health insurance as part of collective bargaining and applauded the labor-management agreement that committed to meet annual savings targets.
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.
Testimony
Pensions & Benefits
The Health Care Savings Agreement: A Look Back and a Look Forward
Testimony Submitted to the New York City Council Committees on Finance and Civil Service and Labor
November 29, 2018
Savings to health benefit expenditures are crucial to attaining labor settlements that are fair and reasonable for both City employees and taxpayers.
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
Taxes
Testimony on NY State Tax System
Delivered to the Senate Committee on Budget and Tax Reform
March 12, 2009
This testimony emphasizes two key points about New York’s personal income tax (PIT) and offers a framework for thinking about tax reform in the current fiscal context: 1) New York’s PIT is progressive, but its overall tax structure is not; and 2) New York’s economic competitiveness should be an important factor in considering changes to its tax rates.
Op Ed
Pensions & Benefits
Pension sweeteners a bitter prospect for New York City
New York Daily News
June 15, 2018
The City Council adopted a budget for fiscal year 2019 that totals almost $90 billion. Almost $10 billion will be devoted to pensions for public employees, and the amount is projected to grow. And yet, for some, this is not enough.
Video
Taxes
The New York City Property Tax
Problems, Inequities, and Potential Reforms
September 13, 2018
NYC Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform is charged with recommending reforms to make the NYC property tax fairer, simpler, and more transparent. CBC, the Regional Plan Association, and NYU Wagner convened a panel to discuss the current property tax system and the reforms that should be pursued.
Blog
City Budget
Restoring City Priorities Along With Spending Cuts
June 21, 2012
The Mayor and City Council's “budget dance” focuses largely on child care slots and after-school programs, but should really be about the City’s overly generous contributions to the health insurance of former City employees and their spouses.
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
Letter
State Budget
Recommendations on the FY 2017 Executive Budget
February 25, 2016
CBC offers recommendations for legislative action on the Governor’s Executive Budget for fiscal year 2017. The recommendations cover four proposals that deserve support, five proposals that should be modified, and four proposals that should be rejected.
Report
Pensions & Benefits
2009 Benefits Sweetener Scorecard
June 02, 2009
The 2009 edition of the scorecard developed by the CBC that highlights legislative activity related to pension costs. The scorecard will track the introduction, progress, and sponsors of legislation designed to sweeten existing pension benefits of government employees, as well as any pension reform efforts to reduce future pension liabilities.
Report
Economic Development
Tax Increment Financing: A Primer
December 05, 2017
This report provides an overview of TIF and a five-point checklist drawn from lessons learned from past projects to help identify potential TIF projects.
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.