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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
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.
Blog
Health Care
One Good Way to Save More on Medicaid
February 21, 2011
One of the Medicaid Redesign Team's proposals – reforming the state’s payment method for nursing homes – should be strengthened to increase savings and improve care.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
Possible City Savings From Health Insurance Changes
June 19, 2011
Following the template provided by Governor Cuomo and the CSEA can produce $1.4 billion in savings for New York City in fiscal year 2012 – more than enough to avert layoffs and other cuts.
Blog
Pensions & Benefits
How Much Did New York’s 2010 Early Retirement Incentive Save?
October 25, 2011
The CBC estimates that early retirement incentives saved taxpayers $681 million savings- less than would have been saved if the Governor had been able to achieve through layoffs.
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.
Blog
Public Workforce
Another Good Idea to Save the City Money
October 27, 2011
The New York City union welfare funds could also use some "depoliticizing, professionalizing and streamlining."
Blog
City Budget
What to Look for in the Mayor’s Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2017
April 24, 2016
Asks 8 questions about the New York City Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2017 relating to revenues, spending, Health + Hospitals, reserves, the Citywide Savings Plan, the State budget, and the capital commitment plan.
Blog
Health Care
Cause for Concern with the Medicaid Redesign Team Implementation
October 13, 2011
NY is roughly halfway to meeting its budgeted Medicaid savings target of $2.2 billion for fiscal year 2012. A closer look suggests there is cause for concern that some of the savings may not be implemented on time.
Blog
Public Workforce
State Agreement Is a Template to Avoid City Layoffs
June 22, 2011
Following the template provided by Governor Cuomo and the CSEA can produce $1.4 billion in savings for New York City in fiscal year 2012 – more than enough to avert layoffs and other cuts.
Blog
Capital Spending
Design-Build Contracting
A Way to Fix More Bridges for Less Money
February 17, 2016
State legislators should enable New York City to benefit from design-build contracting: if it realized savings on par with the State’s experience, the City could save $2 billion over 10 years.
Blog
City Budget
The New York City Budget Since the Recession
Seven Rounds of Cuts and the Deepest Still to Come
February 06, 2011
Since 2008, Mayor Bloomberg has implemented seven rounds of cuts to find budget savings, and an eight round is likely due to anticipated reductions in State and federal aid.
Blog
Public Workforce
What Concessions?
August 28, 2011
A close look at the agreements between Mayor Bloomberg and city unions reveals that jobs were not saved by labor concessions but through diverting other resources or creating new risks in the budget.
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.
Blog
Health Care
Medicaid Redesign – Significant Progress On A Tough Task
March 09, 2011
The Medicaid Redesign Team changed the dynamic of Medicaid budgeting by focusing many of the stakeholders on the same goal: controlling spending while improving quality of care. The collaborative process promises to be a useful model as reform efforts continue.
Blog
State Budget
The Rational Funding Plan for SUNY and CUNY Should Be Extended
March 21, 2016
Why reauthorizing a rational funding plan for the State University of New York (SUNY) and the City University of New York (CUNY) to raise tuition makes sense.
Blog
Transportation
The MTA’s Preliminary 2017 Budget: Good News Now, But Risks Down the Track
September 27, 2016
Reviews the MTA's preliminary 2017 budget and points to risks, including expiring labor contracts and looming OPEB liabilities.
Blog
State Budget
Pass Governor’s Proposal to Reform State Retiree Health Insurance Benefits
March 13, 2016
State of New York retirees with more than 10 years of service receive health insurance benefits substantially more generous than those offered by private sector and most public sector employers. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Budget for FY2017 includes a fair proposal to reduce these growing costs, and the Legislature should adopt it.
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.
Blog
City Budget
Resist the Temptation
March 22, 2011
It would be imprudent and short-sighted to avoid FY2012 budget cuts making additional withdrawals from the retiree health insurance trust fund.