What's The [DATA] Point: Recent Episodes
Citizens Budget Commission and Gotham Gazette
2040 is the year by which New York State has to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 60% to the maximum extent feasible and cost effective, under the newly-amended Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The State also changed how it will measure greenhouse gas emissions to align with the method used by almost all states and the federal government. These changes will have significant, important effects.Tune in as Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters, unpacks CLCPA's evolution and what comes next for New York's climate policy.
$11 billion is the amount the new Port Authority Bus Terminal is projected to cost, a quarter of PANYNJ's ten year capital plan and a keystone project for the region's travelers. It's still just a small piece of what the Port Authority—and its new executive, Kathryn Garcia—oversees. Garcia is now in charge of a vast network of essential infrastructure, including five airports, PATH, bridges and tunnels, marine terminals and the WTC campus. Her portfolio spans two states and faces myriad challenges from high demand to aging infrastructure and soaring materials costs. Luckily, Garcia is among the region's most capable and well-respected administrators. We spoke to her about her vision for the Port Authority last week. Tune in.
$124.7 billion is the amount Mayor Mamdani proposes to spend in fiscal year 2027. The budget process is never simple, but this year the intensity ratcheted up. Revealing a large budget gap, the City administration negotiated with the State for aid to bridge it while simultaneously pursuing its ambitious programmatic agenda. Joining CBC to discuss the policy and politics is NYC Budget Director Sherif Soliman, a long-time public servant from three prior mayoral administrations. Together we dug into the key pillars of the City's budget strategy and how to protect NYC's competitiveness, as well as some of the big debates from property tax reform to CityFHEPS. Tune into this week's episode.
21 is the number of days late the State budget was when this episode was recorded. Policy negotiations are proving difficult to resolve, with high-stakes debates continuing over the Governor’s proposals to overhaul auto insurance, reform environmental review for housing construction, and advance the State’s climate agenda.This week, WTDP welcomes arguably the third most powerful person in the Governor's office for a funny and frank conversation to help us unpack it all. Jackie Bray, Director of New York State Operations, brings a wealth of public sector experience spanning city, state, and federal government. Tune in for her insider's perspective on the challenges and dynamics shaping negotiations.
$127 billion is the size of NYC's Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2027. After reporting a yawning $12 billion budget gap estimate, Mayor Mamdani revised that number down to $5.4 billion, thanks in part to Governor Hochul's willingness to chip in. But don't let the shrinking gap fool you: the underlying problems will not go away without making some tough choices. The Mayor proposes to raise personal income, business and property taxes to close the gap, but are tax hikes really the City's only option? Here to help us explore the City's budget crisis and potential solutions is CBC's Vice President for Research Ana Champeny.
benefits of higher taxes? We speak with Blake Washington, the State Budget Director, on all this and more in this week's episode.
Byford. So—what should the station look like? What will happen to MSG? Who will pay—and who's in charge? Listen in as CBC President Andrew Rein and Byford have a substantive conversation about the project's future.
mean exactly? And what is the budget impact in an uncertain fiscal environment? To help answer these questions and more is Grace Rauh, Executive Director of Citizens Union and a long-time advocate for childcare reform in New York City.
1,143 is the number of days Camille Joseph Varlack served in city government as Chief of Staff, Deputy Mayor for Administration and briefly First Deputy Mayor during the Adam's administration. A good Chief of Staff can make an administration—but they're rarely in the spotlight. On this episode of What's the [DATA] Point, Joseph Varlack joins CBC's Andrew Rein to reflect on her successes and the challenges of continuing to deliver in choppy waters, talk about what a Chief of Staff actually does, and how to inspire the best and brightest to consider public service.
17 is the number of days, at the time of this conversation’s recording, before Dean Fuleihan becomes First Deputy Mayor for a second time. As Mayor-Elect Mamdani turns from campaigning to the practicalities of governing, First Deputy Mayor Fuleihan will be an expert hand involved in every step. On this episode of What’s the [DATA] Point, Fuleihan joined CBC’s Andrew Rein to talk about how to achieve the administration’s priorities, and what to do about the unexpected. The conversation ranged from the deteriorating condition of rent stabilized housing, to raising taxes in a city whose competitiveness is challenged by neighboring states, and delivering effective programs at a price point New Yorkers can afford.
51 is the number of members in the New York City Council. Six weeks before the Council was scheduled to vote on its next leader, Council Member Julie Menin announced herself the presumptive Speaker after garnering the support of a supermajority of her council colleagues. On this episode of What's the [DATA] Point, CM Menin joined CBC's Andrew Rein and New York Law School's Ben Max to discuss her broad vision for a proactive City Council, her working relationship with Mayor-Elect Mamdani in service of shared interests, the Council's role in prioritizing important programs with budget constraints, and much else besides.
791 is the number of staff the City Comptroller can employ for the vital task of auditing City agencies, managing the $306 billion pension fund, registering contracts, analyzing the budget, monitoring the economy—essentially serving as the people's check on the Mayor's office. This episode of What's the Data Point involves a conversation between the 'Three C's', NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, and NYC Comptroller-elect Mark Levine—with the former providing their guidance and wisdom, and the latter his plans for the office. Listen in for a robust chat on what shape the City budget and economy are in, what's coming down from the federal government, and how each thinks about the fiscal contours of Mayor-elect Mamdani's proposed affordability programs.
221 is the number of New Yorkers who joined CBC's Mayoral Smart Choices Half-Day Conference. In part 1 of a three-part series, a panel explores important question about the City's finances: how does the next mayor bring spending to sustainable levels and build the City’s reserves? What does fulsome preparation for federal cuts look like? How do labor deals balance fair compensation with fiscal reality? What tax policies will maintain the city’s attractiveness?- Louisa Chafee, Director, Independent Budget Office- Ana Champeny, Vice President for Research, CBC- Ken Girardin, Fellow, Manhattan Institute- Nathan Gusdorf, Executive Director, Fiscal Policy Institute- Ben Max (moderator), Program Director, Center for New York City and State Law at New York Law School
221 is the number of New Yorkers who joined CBC's Mayoral Smart Choices Half-Day Conference. In part 3 of a three-part series, a panel explores important questions on how to make the City affordable, safe, and livable. There are many competing needs, from boosting housing production to making childcare more affordable; providing fast, reliable public transit; delivering clean, safe and vibrant streets and high quality education. How do we achieve all this on a budget New York can afford?- Majora Carter, CEO, Majora Carter Group- Rafael Cestero, CEO, Community Preservation Corporation; former Commissioner, NYC HPD- Nicole Gelinas, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute- Elizabeth Glazer, Founder Vital City; former Dir. Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice- Alicia Glen (moderator), Founder and Managing Principal, MSquared; former Deputy
CEO, The New York Foundling; former Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services, and Budget Director- Meera Joshi, President, Green-Wood Cemetery; former Deputy Mayor for Operations- Anthony Shorris, Partner, McKinsey; former First Deputy Mayor - Andrew Rein (moderator), President, CBC
Fifty years ago today New York City came within hours of bankruptcy, one of the most significant events of the Fiscal Crisis. This episode features interviews with two of the era’s heroes—Stephen Berger, who served as Executive Director of the State Emergency Financial Control Board, and Eugene Keilin, Executive Director of the Municipal Assistance Corporation (MAC). Learn how they and New Yorkers from government, the business community, and labor navigated the calamitous waters of default towards solvency—and what takeaways we can apply today.
2,500 is the number of uniformed officers NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch moved from behind desks to patrolling NYC streets since this past summer. The move helped drive down the number of serious crimes committed, though fear remains high: last winter before this effort, CBC surveyed New Yorkers and discovered that 42% felt their neighborhood is safe, and only 34% rated the City's quality of life as excellent or good. These pose a real vulnerability to NYC long-term economic health and appeal to businesses and residents. In this episode, CBC Chair Marissa Shorenstein sits down with Commissioner Tisch to dig into her policy prescriptions for public safety, quality of life, the federal government and more (plus some of her accomplishments as the former Sanitation Commissioner).
34% is the share of New Yorkers who now rate the city’s quality of life excellent or good in CBC's recent citywide survey "Straight from New Yorkers." This is substantially lower than the 51% who rated quality of life positively in 2017. At the same time, the competition with other places to attract and keep residents and business is fierce. In this episode, CBC brought together leaders from New York's business, labor, nonprofit, and real estate sectors to discuss the ways in which we can come together to make New York an affordable, competitive, and vibrant City.-Vincent Alvarez, President of The New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO-Wayne Ho, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Chinese-American Planning Council-Jim Whelan, President of the Real Estate Board of New York-Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City-Moderated by CBC Vice Chair William Floyd, Senior Director, U.S. State and Local Government Affairs and Public Policy at GoogleYou can learn more about CBC's campaign "Smart Choices, Better Future" by visiting https://bit.ly/SmartChoicesBetterFuture
48,000 is the number of new homes to be created when we add together the 40,000 that should be enabled by 5 neighborhood rezonings and the current proposed plan to redevelop the Brooklyn Marine Terminal. New York must dramatically increase housing production if it is going reduce its affordability problems and be in a strong competitive position to retain and attract residents, grow businesses, and create jobs. What else is New York City doing to boost housing production? How is the City working to attract businesses and grow high wage jobs? At a recent CBC event, Andrew Kimball, President and CEO of New York City’s Economic Development Corporation, and Dan Garodnick, Director of the Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission, joined CBC President Andrew Rein to answer these questions and more.
$280 billion is the total number of dollars held by New York City’s five pension funds over which the City Comptroller is custodian and investment adviser. The Comptroller plays a critical role in the City’s fiscal health, integrity, and accountability. In June, New Yorkers will head to the polls to choose who they want to guide them through the economically uncertain times ahead. Today's episode features a live debate between the two leading Comptroller candidates: Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and City Councilmember Justin Brannan.
$15 billion is the amount congestion pricing is expected to yield for MTA infrastructure investment—to bring trains, tracks, yards, and signals to a state of good repair, increase accessibility, and expand subway service. As congestion pricing is challenged by the Trump administration, this speaks to the larger question of the fiscal and regulatory relationship between the federal government and New York. In this episode we are joined by Polly Trottenberg, who served most recently as Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation and before that as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation, as well as a board member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Polly brings her experience at both the federal and City level to unpack the future of transportation policy and funding.
$252 billion is the size of Governor Kathy Hochul’s New York State Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2026. It's a full $100 billion more than ten years ago. New York State and its localities are already #1 in taxes and #2 in spending nationwide. On today’s episode we talk with New York State’s Budget Director Blake G. Washington, to discuss whether taxes are too high, if New York should try to restrain spending growth, how the State is preparing for possible changes to federal aid, and more on affordability, education, Medicaid, and the MTA.
$35 billion is how much of the MTA's 5-year capital plan remains unfunded. Investing in the MTA’s crumbling infrastructure is one of the most important decisions Albany will make this year; New York's economy, quality of life, and the region's competitiveness depend on it. At a recent CBC event, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber sat down with CBC president Andrew Rein to talk about keeping the trains running on time, the potential risk to congestion pricing, funding the MTA’s capital plan, reducing fare evasion, MTA efficiency, relaxing discovery rules, and the public’s concern for their safety.
$16 billion is the estimated cost to build the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. Decades of delays and funding spats ultimately led to the creation of the Gateway Development Commission, the bi-state entity responsible for making the tunnel a reality. Joining the podcast is Alicia Glen, co-Chair of the Gateway Development Commission, founder and managing principal of MSquared, and current CBC Trustee. Glen is also the chair of the Trust for Governors Island, and the former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development during the de Blasio Administration.
80,000. That’s the number of additional new housing units the Adams’ Administration hopes will be developed over the next 15 years thanks to the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. The City Council votes this week on Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to tackle the housing crisis. However, that is not all that the Administration is focused on. Needed Infrastructure investment, improved contracting, implementing the now-charter mandated true cost of living, and so much more. In this new episode of WTDP, we chat with First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and Deputy Mayors Meera Joshi and Ana Almanzar who work as a part of the City Hall team to address these issues and more!
10 and 15 are the districts represented by New York Congressman Dan Goldman and Congressman Ritchie Torres. With a newly elected President and Congress, changes in federal policy, funding, and regulation will affect New York State and New York City. So, what are the opportunities and challenges ahead? Where can New York make common cause with others, and how can our congressional delegation work across the aisle? Listen as Congressmen Goldman and Torres help us understand more about what lies ahead.
97 - that's the number of days between this conversation and the release of the Governor's Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget. But how the State will close its $16 billion structural gap isn't the only important issue facing New York State. How will the State buttress resiliency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve student achievement (since it already spends 85% more per student than the national average), fund the MTA's next capital plan, hold the line on taxes, and deal with the City administration's current issues? Fortunately, we have Governor Hochul’s top 2 aides—Secretary to the Governor Karen Persichilli Keogh and Director of State Operations and Infrastructure Kathryn Garcia—on the Datapoint today to talk about these issues and more.
3 is the number of current and former Comptrollers who sat down to discuss the City and State's finances, economy, population loss and more. While jobs and tourism have recovered, New York continues to face challenges with hybrid work affecting downtowns and the office market, housing affordability, future budget gaps, and needed infrastructure investment. Former NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson moderated a discussion during which NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and NYC Comptroller Brad Lander dig into what the City and State is doing with your money and New York's future.
109,000. This is the number of new homes New York City aims to create over the next 15 years through its City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning proposal. Despite broad agreement on the need for more housing, the path is fraught with obstacles. Development is expensive and outdated regulations and zoning have impeded development of new housing and conversion of office buildings. How will New York overcome these challenges and turn promise into progress? To shed light, we’re joined by Dan Garodnick, Director of the Department of City Planning and Chair of the City Planning Commission. In WTDP’s new episode, he helps us unpack the Administration’s proposals, the role of City Planning, and what’s at stake if we fail to address this critical crisis.Listen to NYC Planning Director Dan Garodnick on:-15:41: Explaining City of Yes benefits to potential opponents -20:05: Parking requirements -25:04: How Universal Affordability Preference will deliver -28:08: Office to residential conversions -29:22: Impacts of 485-X -31:15: Importance of Green Fast Track -33:45: Being a former City Councilmember talking to current Councilmembers
$116 billion is the total NYC adopted budget for FY 2025, including the $4 billion of FY25 bills that were prepaid. This year’s budget talks between the Mayor and City Council took several twists and turns, ending with the narrowly on-time arrival of an adopted budget. New York City Council Member Justin Brannan, Chair of the Council’s Finance Committee, joined the podcast to discuss the budget, the Council’s role, and his prior career as a musician.
$8.8 trillion is the total combined assets of the nearly 3,000 financial institutions that are regulated and supervised by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS). In addition to navigating serious banking crises in recent years, DFS faces challenges on the horizon: artificial intelligence, cyber security, and cryptocurrency, to name a few. Joining the podcast is DFS Superintendent Adrienne Harris, who shares with us the important work state leadership is doing to ensure a strong and secure financial services sector, while navigating this rapidly changing landscape.
6,632 is the number of NYC households who responded to CBC's 2023 NYC Resident Survey: "Straight from New Yorkers." The survey provides the most comprehensive, statistically valid, post-pandemic view of how New Yorkers are feeling about the City's quality of life and the quality of government services. Among the many eyebrow-raising pieces of feedback coming Straight from New Yorkers: Only 30% of rate their quality of life as excellent or good, down from 50% in 2017. Joining the pod to discuss the survey results and the City's priorities is New York City First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright.
1.4% is the current--and historically low--apartment vacancy rate in New York City. NYC and many parts of New York State are in the throes of a housing crisis caused by decades of underproduction. Solving the housing crisis is key to stemming the tide of New Yorkers leaving the state and to rolling out the welcome mat to new New Yorkers. Joining us to discuss the latest housing policy news affecting both NYC and the state is national housing expert Vicki Been, a professor at NYU's Furman Center and former New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.
$60 billion is how much the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) estimates it should invest in its infrastructure over the next 5 years. NYCHA faces persistent challenges: recurring budget gaps, rising expenses, weakening rent collection, deteriorating physical conditions, and more. NYCHA's CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt and Chair Jamie Rubin both spoke with CBC at a recent event to discuss the plans and strategies they've put in place to better manage the nation's largest public housing system.
$233 billion is the total NYS budget proposed by Governor Hochul for fiscal year 2025, and that is the talk of the town in Albany as executive and legislative leaders work on a new budget agreement in time for the April 1st deadline. NYS Budget Director Blake Washington, who is at the center of budget negotiations happening right now, spoke with the CBC at a recent event. He and CBC President Andrew Rein discussed the state's current fiscal picture and details regarding the state's large structural gap, and more.
$39.5 billion is how much NYC spends to educate our students each year. The New York City Public Schools has an enormous and challenging task: to educate and develop 900,000 students who come from a wide diversity of backgrounds and needs. And it’s important to ask: Are we getting the return we need on our dollars? How are our students doing? To answer this and other pressing questions is NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks and Deputy Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Emma Vadehra.
151,700 is the net loss of New York personal income tax filers in 2020 and 2021. Some of that is the result of the pandemic, but how much? With this episode, CBC is relaunching the podcast to return to a more focused discussion with policy leaders, and there is no better way to re-launch than with the podcast's founder: CBC alum Maria Doulis, Deputy New York State Comptroller for Budget and Policy Analysis. Join us as we explore one of the most difficult challenges facing the City and State—how to keep and attract more New Yorkers.
85% is the amount New York State has to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. One of the major pathways to this reduction will be the State’s Cap-and-Invest program, which will cap and reduce emissions, auction off the right to emit, set up a trading system for those rights, and generate billions of dollars to be invested in energy transition and to offset costs of the transition for some residents. Doreen Harris, President and CEO of the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority, and Basil Seggos, Commissioner of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, joined CBC to discuss Cap-and-Invest, as well as offshore wind, energy transition and resiliency, the Environmental Bond Act, and much more.
$1.5 trillion is the total asset value of the MTA—all of the trains, buses, yards, and stations...all the stuff that moves New Yorkers every day, 24 hours a day. At a recent CBC event, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and President of Construction and Development Jamie Torres-Springer discussed congestion pricing, fare evasion, congestion pricing, state of good repair, the future of Penn Station, and more.
$10.6 billion is the real-world, all-in budget gap that NYC could be facing once you include all spending that is currently unbudgeted or underbudgeted. In a co-production with Ben Max's podcast "Max Politics," CBC President Andrew Rein and Vice President for Research Ana Champeny about the City's decisions and unforeseen events that lead to the real-world budget gap, and the options for closing it.
44 million pounds of trash are generated by New Yorkers every day. The NYC Department of Sanitation not only collects residential waste, recyclables, and compostables, but it also removes snow, cleans streets and lots, removes graffiti, and fights rats. CBC Chair Marissa Shorenstein is joined by Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is leading "New York's Trash Revolution." The revolution includes expanding composting citywide, residential and commercial waste containerization, sanitation truck and bin redesign, and more.
4.67 million is the total number of jobs in New York City, just shy of employment pre-pandemic. Though the economy is stable and employment generally strong, challenges remain. The economy is undergoing longer term transformation including remote work, which will affect our labor market and commercial real estate, and the City faces proximate challenges with the influx of new migrants and asylum seekers. NYC EDC's President and Executive Director joined CBC to discuss the Administration’s economic growth strategy, projects ranging from Willets Point to SPARC Kips Bay, the green economy and offshore wind, soccer, ferries, and more.
50,000 is the number of jobs New York State expects to be created over the next 20 years by attracting Micron to central New York with $7.2 billion of incentives. New York has long been a leader in economic development, with the State and localities offering tax incentives and spending totaling over $10 billion a year. Joining the podcast to discuss the Micron deal, workforce development, the film tax credit, Penn Station, and what analysis is done to show these investments are worth the cost is Hope Knight, President, CEO & Commissioner of Economic State Development.
$4.3 billion is the Adams' Administration's estimate of the cost to house and provide services to asylum seekers this and next year. But that is only a small portion of the City's fiscal challenges. NYC Budget Director Jacques Jiha joined the CBC to discuss the fiscal year 2024 Executive Budget, negotiations with the City Council, future budget gaps, efforts to improve the City's management and more.
70+ is the number of agencies and authorities that report through New York State's Deputy Secretaries to New York's Director of State Operations and Infrastructure, Kathryn Garcia. She joined the podcast at a critical time for our State's economy, and after the $229 billion budget was passed by the Legislature one month into the fiscal year. Listen as we learn how the State tries to solve our housing crisis, face our environmental crises, educate our children, and ensure workers and businesses thrive within New York, and much more.
3 is the number of letters in Mayor Adams' favorite mantra: G.S.D., Get Stuff Done. They Mayor has introduced many plans: Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent; Care, Community, Action; City of Yes; and Housing our Neighbors, to name a few. But the impact is in the implementation. Joining the podcast is First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, who talks about the Administration's GSD management approach, the City and State budgets, how the Mayor and Governor align on housing, and much more.
$227 billion is the size of the NYS FY 2024 Executive Budget. The State's finances are in a precarious state, with the economy uncertain and the budget going from riches to rags. There is an $8 billion surplus this year, but outyear gaps of over $7 billion and a $12 billion structural gap. Joining the podcast is NYS Budget Director Robert Megna, who was appointed only 10 days prior to this recording and has returned to the role he held from 2009-2015.
80% is the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions NYC buildings are required to achieve by 2050 under Local Law 97. This is but one of the many climate and environmental initiatives New York City will implement in the years to come. As the science, technology, and needs continue to evolve, how will the City achieve its goals in a way that is effective, efficient, and flexible? At a recent CBC Trustee event, Rohit Aggarwala, NYC's Chief Climate Officer and Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, discussed these initiatives and more with CBC President Andrew Rein.
1 in 3 is the number of households in New York City that are severely rent burdened. That means nearly 600,000 households are spending more than half of their monthly income on rent, electricity, and heat. At a recent CBC Trustee event, Jessica Katz, NYC's Chief Housing Officer, discussed how the Adams administration is tackling NYC's housing needs and managing its housing agenda to ensure success.
2 1/2 is the average number of years it takes a private rezoning application to get approved in New York City, and that doesn't include the often lengthy informal pre-review negotiations. This is one of many findings in CBC's report "Improving New York City's Land Use Decision-Making Process," which can be found at cbcny.org. At a special panel discussion, Maria Torres-Springer, the Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, delivered opening remarks on the Administration's efforts to tackle New York's housing challenges, followed by a policy panel steeped in experience with New York City's land use process, including:
• Vicki Been - Former Deputy Mayor; Faculty Director, NYU Furman Center; • Margaret Chin - Former Member, New York City Council, District 1; • Jacob Elghanayan – Senior Vice President, TF Cornerstone; • Dan Garodnick - Chair, City Planning Commission; • Michelle de la Uz - Executive Director, Fifth Avenue Committee; • RuthAnne Visnauskas - President/CEO, NYS Homes & Community Renewal; and • Ben Max - moderator & Executive Editor, Gotham Gazette
The episode closes with a presentation of the report's findings by Sean Campion, CBC's Director of Housing and Economic Development Studies.
28 is the number of core strategies and initiatives in Mayor Eric Adams' recently unveiled plan - "Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for NYC Economic Recovery." The blueprint focuses on small businesses, entrepreneurship, an equitable economy and inclusive growth, connecting New Yorkers to quality jobs, and more. At an event with CBC Trustees, Maria Torres-Springer, the Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development, discussed the blueprint's important elements and how they will benefit current and future New Yorkers.
$220 billion is the reported size of the New York State fiscal year 2023 budget that the Governor and Legislature adopted on April 10. The budget includes a property tax rebate and a tax holiday, and increases State spending about $14 billion, with more money for education aid, day care, rent relief, health care, and a new stadium, among other programs. Joining the podcast to unpack the new budget is Chair of the State Senate Finance Committee, Senator Liz Krueger.
$0 is the size of the New York State budget deficit in each year of New York State’s five-year Executive Budget financial plan, as proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul. The Governor’s budget proposal balances the budget in each of the next five years, an unprecedented level of fiscal stability for the State. This balance and fiscal strength is driven by strong State tax receipts and extraordinary federal fiscal relief. The proposed budget also makes significant deposits to reserves. At an event with CBC Trustees, New York State Budget Director Robert Mujica presented the details of the State’s budget, and the fiscal and economic outlook going forward.
$216 billion is the size of New York State fiscal year 2023 budget proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul. The proposed spending plan is balanced over five years and makes significant deposits to reserves, but also maintains high taxes and accelerates State spending growth. At an event with CBC Trustees, Governor Hochul and CBC President Andrew Rein discussed the continued improvement of the State's fiscal outlook, budget negotiations, priorities for COVID recovery, the MTA and more.
2026 is the year the MTA will likely have spent all of its one-time COVID-19 federal aid, and when the MTA will have to address the estimated $2.5 billion annual structural operating deficit which that aid is now covering. At an event with CBC Trustees, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and President Andrew Rein sat down for a fireside chat to discuss this and a range of other issues including ridership and the ridership experience, the newly proposed Interborough Express and other infrastructure and state of good repair needs, and how labor and management collaboration is critical to closing the operating budget gaps.
8 is the number of years Bill de Blasio has been Mayor of New York City. Joining the podcast to look back on those years is Emma Wolfe, Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Administration. Emma has been a top staff member and strategist for Bill de Blasio since 2010, starting as Chief of Staff when he was elected Public Advocate, and has been involved with nearly every mayoral initiative and decision of his administration.
47 is the number of people who will have held the office of NYC Comptroller once Brad Lander is sworn in on January 1, 2022. At a breakfast with CBC Trustees, President Andrew Rein sat down for a wide-ranging conversation with the Comptroller-elect, covering subjects including risks to New York’s budget, contracting reform, rezoning, and the need to fix the property tax system.
89 is the number of years since CBC's founding in 1932, which also makes the annual gala held on October 12, 2021 the 89th Annual Awards Dinner.
This year’s Medal for High Civic Service winner was Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. CBC was fortunate to have Governor Kathy Hochul welcome Secretary Buttigieg and talk with him about public service and issues facing New York State. After their discussion, Secretary Pete delivered remarks on efforts underway to rebuild our nation's and region's infrastructure, and he generously spent some time answering CBC Trustees questions.
A very short portion of the audio was edited.
$150 million is the amount of capital funding NYC has committed toward the creation of a Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island. Joining the podcast to discuss this and other plans for Governors Island is Alicia Glen, Chair of the Trust of Governors Island and the former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.
$103.3 billion is the total amount of spending authorized by the City Council for Fiscal Year 2022. While officials call it a budget of $98.3 billion, the larger figure reflects the full amount to be expended, including $6 billion available from the prior year due to higher than expected tax receipts and federal aid. Joining the podcast to discuss the adopted budget is NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer.
$209 billion is the total spending in New York State's Enacted Budget for Fiscal Year 2022. Six months ago, New York State was staring down a four-year revenue shortfall totaling $60 billion—however, revenues have strengthened and the federal government passed a stimulus bill that includes what may be the largest state and local government relief program in history. Still, the State decided to raise taxes, boost education aid, and fund a host of economic recovery programs. Joining the podcast are three guests to discuss what this means for the State's fiscal future: State Senator Liz Krueger, Senior Fellow at the Empire Center and Adjunct Fellow at the Manhattan Institute E.J. McMahon, and CBC's Director of State Studies Patrick Orecki.
$250 billion—the assets held by the five pensions funds for which the New York City Comptroller is custodian, administrator, and investment advisor. But that's not the Comptroller's only responsibility. On today's special episode of "What's the [DATA] Point?" with an introduction from Ben and Andrew, listeners will hear CBC's "Comptroller Candidate Forum: Accountability, Not Just Accounting," which featured 13-minute conversations with each of six candidates: Brad Lander, Zach Iscol, Brian Benjamin, Michelle Caruso, Cabrera, Corey Johnson, and David Weprin. Each candidate shared how they plan to use the powers of the NYC Comptroller to serve the people of New York.
270,000—the number of two-year, four-year, and graduate degree seeking students enrolled in the City University of New York (CUNY). For generations CUNY has been an engine of economic mobility. With New York City sitting at the inflection point between the pandemic-driven recession and its recovery, CUNY will play a key role in preparing students and workers for, and linking them to, new opportunities in a changing economy. CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez joined the podcast to discuss the pandemic's impact on CUNY, his efforts to partner with the private sector to open career opportunities for students and to bolster CUNY's finances, and how City, State, and federal budget decisions and proposals may stabilize CUNY in the future.
21,200 is the total number of inpatient hospital beds in New York State—approximately 2.5 beds for every 1,000 people. The pandemic has brought a significant attention to New York's health care system, and some have called for greater hospital capacity to help New York be better prepared for the future. Joining the podcast are two of New York's leading health care experts: Stephen Berger, who was Chairman of the New York State Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, and Dr. Mitchell Katz, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals.
24/7 is the number of hours and days New Yorkers traditionally have had access to the subway system. In response to the pandemic the MTA suspended overnight service to clean and disinfect the subway, giving riders the confidence they need to return to the system. The pandemic decimated revenue and ridership this past year, but with an infusion of federal funds and slowly returning ridership the MTA financial forecast has stabilized for the time being. However, they're still not out of the woods. Today's guests are two leaders who will chart and manage the course forward for the MTA: New York City Transit Interim President Sarah Feinberg, and MTA Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber.
800,000 is the approximate number of daily passengers who travel on Northeast Corridor trains. The only rail link that connects New York and New Jersey is through a 110-year-old tunnel under the Hudson River. The Biden administration has pledged to move forward the Gateway Program―the planned, phased expansion and renovation of the Northeast Corridor rail line, including the aging tunnel. John Porcari, the founding interim Executive Director of the Gateway Development Corporation, joined the podcast to update listeners on the status of this critical infrastructure project.
$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.
$7.4 billion is how much NYS personal income tax was paid in 2018 by residents of other states. This revenue stream may be threatened if a lawsuit over taxation of out-of-state telecommuting residents prevails. Today's guest is E.J. McMahon, adjunct fellow of the Manhattan Institute and senior fellow of the Empire Center. He explains why this lawsuit is so important and also discussed elements of the NYS Executive Budget. And, in her final episode as host, Maria Doulis offers a brief analysis of the NYC Preliminary Budget.
$4 billion is the amount of annual investment in housing recommended by a broad coalition of groups called United for Housing. In the fourth episode on the subject of land use, we continue the conversation with two representatives of the United for Housing coalition: Michelle de la Uz of the Fifth Avenue Committee, and Paimaan Lodhi of the Real Estate Board of New York.
29 is the number of acres in the proposed Special Flushing Waterfront District. In our third episode on land use and zoning, we move from Brooklyn to Flushing, Queens to discuss the proposed district that could add 3 million square feet of housing, hotel, retail and office space; remediate Flushing Creek; and create waterfront access and park space. Developer Helen Lee and proposal critic John Choe joined the podcast to share their competing views.
2.9% was New York State's COVID-19 positivity rate as of November 10, 2020. New York was the early epicenter of the pandemic, and though new cases started to decline in April and stayed relatively low through the summer, cases are beginning to rise again. Joining the podcast is one of the nation's foremost public health experts Dr. Thomas Frieden offers a clear explanation about what we know about the virus, how to best prepare for its rise, and what the prospects are for a vaccine.
8,200 is the number of new housing units that could be created by the proposed rezoning of Gowanus, Brooklyn. Councilmember Brad Lander joins "What's the [DATA] Point?" to discuss the rezoning plan and make the case for comprehensive planning.
20,000 is the number of jobs that could be potentially created by proposed rezoning of Industry City, a sprawling retail, office, and manufacturing complex in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. But this week the developer pulled the plug on the proposal after negotiations with stakeholders came to a standstill. What went wrong, and what does that mean for the future of Industry? This is episode is a tale of two rezonings, as told by Industry City CEO Andrew Kimball and NYC Councilmember Carlos Menchaca.
72% is the share of firms which have experienced challenges in the switch to remote work spurred by the pandemic. The datapoint is from a survey of business leaders representing several key NYC economic sectors. We convened a panel of five CBC Trustees representing real estate, finance, law, health, and job development to discuss the survey's finding, and how they believe their sectors--and the City as a whole--will look like in the short-term and the long-term.
$1 billion is the target reduction in the NYPD budget that became the focal point of recent budget negotiations. Was this cut actually made in the NYC Adopted FY2021 Budget? CBC's Adrian Pietrzak and Ana Champeny discuss the NYPD's budget and how it's going to change in the coming year in this special mini-episode.
$88.2 billion is the size of the NYC budget adopted for FY 2021. After years of economic expansion, this is the first budget Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Johnson negotiated in a recession. CBC's Ana Champeny joined the podcast to discuss why this is just the first of many tough choices facing City leaders.
70 million is the number of free meals distributed by the NYC since mid-March, when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Today we talk to members of the public and private sector teams that made this success happen: Sanitation Commissioner and "Food Czar" Kathryn Garcia, and Cas Holloway of Unqork, the enterprise software company that developed an app virtually overnight.
1975 is the year NYC found itself on the verge of municipal bankruptcy. How did the City turn around its fortunes? We present CBC's special panel discussion, "Sages of the Ages." Five New York fiscal experts--Steve Berger, Stan Brezenoff, Gene Keilin, Dick Ravitch, and Alair Townsend-- describe how they helped the City navigate through the fiscal crisis and explain what they think we'll need to do to overcome the challenges of the present.overcome the challenges of the present.
$7.4 billion -- the two-year tax revenue shortfall for the City of New York revealed when Mayor Bill de Blasio released the Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2021 last month. In this episode we hear from the person who will help guide NYC through one of its greatest fiscal challenges, NYC Budget Director Melanie Hartzog.
- Welcome to the new decade! It’s Andrew Cuomo’s 10th year as Governor, Bill de Blasio’s 7th year as Mayor, and it promises to be a busy year in New York politics.
Alyssa Katz of The City and Laura Nahmias of the Daily News Editorial Board discuss policy priorities as the State and City legislative sessions begin.
6 months is the time the New York City Housing Authority has to develop a reorganization plan. In this episode NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ discusses working with the federal monitor to facilitate change, working with residents to instill confidence, and what needs to happen at NYCHA to make it a high-performing agency that can ably serve its 380,000 residents.
7 days since the start of budget season, which commenced this year with the New York City Preliminary Budget released on January 16th. The State Budget, released just yesterday, may have a significant impact on the City’s finances this year: with the State facing a large budget gap, the Executive Budget proposes reorganizing school aid formulas and restructuring the local obligation with respect to Medicaid funding. CBC President Andrew Rein joins the pod.
$28.8 billion is the cumulative four-year budget gap facing New York State between fiscal years 2020 and 2023. CBC President Andrew Rein joined the podcast to explain how the State should get its fiscal house in order. And for a special treat, CBC's Andrew Perry and Ana Champeny discuss regional economic development and NYC property taxes. Happy Holidays!
275 is the number of meetings Veronica Vanterpool has attended since she was appointed to the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. She is one of four individuals appointed by the Mayor to the 21 member board. She joined the pod to discuss her time on the board, the important challenges facing the MTA, and more.
$15 billion is the CBC's estimate of the three-year revenue shortfall for New York City government in a recession. First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan joined CBC President Andrew Rein for a wide-ranging discussion about the City's budget, closing Rikers, access to hydropower, NYC's competitiveness, and more.
$81.3 billion the amount of tax revenue New York State will collect in fiscal year 2020—46 percent of all resources in the $176 billion New York State budget.
Michael Schmidt, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, joined the podcast to parse the details on the State’s tax base and taxation policies.
5 is the number of questions on the ballot for New Yorkers this November. The ballot questions are the product of a year-long review of the NYC Charter by the Charter Revision Commission. Two Commissioners—Carl Weisbrod and the Commission’s Chair Gail Benjamin—joined the pod to tell us more about these proposals.
$7.3 trillion is the total assets of the more than 3,000 insurance and financial institutions regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS). DFS Superintendent Linda Lacewell discusses DFS' critical role as a regulator.
90% is the share of NYCHA units that are at risk of no longer being cost effective to repair by 2027 at the current rate of deterioration. NYCHA released a plan to address this in December 2018. CBC Senior Research Associate Sean Campion joins the pod to discuss progress, the urgency of success, and the dismal impact of failure.
16,000 is the number of New York City students in Gifted & Talented programs, which the School Diversity Advisory Group recommended phasing out. David Tipson, Executive Director of Appleseed, and City Council Member Robert Cornegy discuss the report’s findings and recommendations.
118,997 is the number of students enrolled in charter schools in NYC in 2019. That enrollment has grown 66 percent since 2014 and applications continue to surpass the number of available seats. James Merriman, CEO of the New York City Charter School Center, joined the pod to discuss the politics, policies, promises, and pitfalls of charter schools.
98,000 is the number of seats for public school students constructed by the NYC School Construction Authority - about twice as many as in Yankee Stadium. Riley Edwards discusses alternative strategies for solving the crowding problem.
$3.2 billion is the amount NYC spends on homeless services, double what was spent in 2014, earning the agencies providing these services a spot on NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer's Agency Watch List. Learn more about this list and the Comptroller's assessment of the City budget, rent regulation reform, and more.
6/15 is the date when NYS rent laws are set to expire. Strengthening rent regulation is a top priority for the Governor and state lawmakers in the closing days of the legislative session. Listen to REBNY President John Banks and Assemblymember Harvey Epstein share their perspectives.
1.28 cents is the amount New York collects in fuel taxes for every vehicle mile driven. A recent CBC report "Switching Gears" explored the implementation of an innovative approach to finance highway and bridge improvements: a vehicle-miles traveled fee. What’s a VMT, and how does it work? CBC's Patrick Orecki joined the podcast to discuss what a VMT might look like in New York.
125,323 is the number of vehicles licensed by the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission in 2018. The dramatic rise of for-hire vehicles has posed new challenges, and at the forefront of using data to tackle these challenges was former TLC Commissioner Meera Joshi, now a visiting scholar at NYU Wagner.
$92.5 billion is the size of the NYC Executive Budget for FY 2020, an increase of 29% in total spending since Bill de Blasio's first year as Mayor. Joining the podcast to review budget highlights is Yoav Gonen, City Hall reporter for The City.
1,112,975 is the number of unique patients served by NYC Health + Hospitals in FY 2018. H+H is under fiscal pressure and projects cash loses in future years. Dr. Mitchell Katz joined the podcast to discuss his transformation plan to improve H+H's fiscal stability.
$175.5 billion, the size of the NYS Budget for FY 2020 enacted by the Legislature. The budget includes several notable policy changes, such as funding and new reforms at the MTA. CBC's David Friedfel and Patrick Orecki discuss the key takeaways.
5 is the number of years Alicia Glen was the Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development under Mayor Bill de Blasio. She joins the podcast to reflect on her tenure as Deputy Mayor, the state of the city in 2014, where it stands now, and where it should be heading.
202 is the number traffic related fatalities in NYC in 2018, a record low. NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg joined the podcast to discuss the success of Vision Zero, her approach to managing city transit, and her role on the MTA Board.
4.7 mph is the speed at which taxis travel in Midtown Manhattan. Nicole Gelinas, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, joins the podcast to discuss traffic, mobility, and the MTA.
25,000 is the number of jobs that would have been created under a now-defunct deal with Amazon to create a second headquarters in Long Island City, Queens. Vishaan Chakrabarti, founder of the Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), discusses the deal and how its failure may impact New York City's economic competitiveness.
$92.2 billion is the size of the NYC's FY 2020 preliminary budget proposed by Mayor de Blasio. Sally Goldenberg, the City Hall bureau chief for Politico NY, joins the podcast to discuss the budget and what to expect as budget season kicks off.
8.4% is the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in New York between 1990 and 2015. Governor Cuomo now wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030. Is this goal realistic? A panel of energy experts met at the CBC State Conference to help answer this question.
2040 is the year by which Governor Andrew Cuomo wants New York to transition to 100 percent clean electricity. Is this target realistic? Are we on pace to meet it? And at what cost? Seth Hulkower--an expert on energy policy and the former COO of the Long Island Power Authority--joined the podcast to help answer these questions.
$175.2 billion is the size of Governor Cuomo's proposed budget for fiscal year 2020. CBC President Andrew Rein joined the podcast to help unpack the proposed budget.
2,268 is the average daily number of people in adult psychiatric centers in New York State, a decrease from a peak of more than 93,000 people in 1955. Stephen Eide, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, discusses the impacts of deinstitutionalization in New York.
18.6% is the poverty rate in New York City. Greg David and Cara Eisenpress, both from Crain's New York Business and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, discuss their recent reporting exploring New York City's safety net, how it's funded, and how it compares to other places (hint: a lot better).
The data point for today is 1981, the year in which the State Legislature enacted S7000A, the landmark bill that formalized the current property tax system for New York City. A response to the Hellerstein case, which found the system was in violation of State law, S7000A essentially codified the status quo.
In doing so, it established a system of property classification, fractional assessments, caps, phase-ins, and class shares that is still with us 37 years later. These structural features and statutory requirements are the root of the system’s inequities and complexities. A home worth $500,000 can face the same tax bill as a home worth $1.5 million, while the value of a condominium unit, according to the City, is a fraction of its sale price. In fact, some buildings have values that are below the sale price of individual units. And commercial and rental property faces a higher average property tax burden than 1-, 2- and 3-family homes.
These inequities and problems have led to repeated calls for reform, including pending litigation. This past May, Mayor de Blasio and Speaker Johnson formed the Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform. In September, the Citizens Budget Commission, the Regional Plan Association, and NYU Robert Wagner School of Public Service held a panel to discuss the problem, inequities and potential reforms
3 is the number of proposals on the November 6 ballot from Mayor de Blasio’s Charter Revision Commission. In this episode Commission Chair Cesar Perales discusses the proposed amendments.
8 is the number of years Andrew Cuomo has served as the 56th Governor of New York State. CBC's David Friedfel and Patrick Orecki join the podcast to discuss the demographic, fiscal, and policy trends of the last 8 years.
90% is the share of NYCHA units CBC estimates may not be cost effective to repair by 2027 under the current trajectory of deterioration. NYCHA Interim Chair and CEO Stan Brezenoff joined CBC to discuss the policy and funding challenges facing NYCHA, and how he plans to tackle key areas in desperate need of improvement.
45 is the number of agencies that submitted performance metrics to the recently released Mayor's Management Report. Agencies organize their reports according to service areas and goals, and present the indicators to help the public understand agency performance. NYC's Deputy Mayor of Operations Laura Anglin joined the podcast to discuss how the city uses data to improve the operations and performance of key city agencies.
3.1 miles is the length of the newly constructed Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. At a cost of $4 billion dollars, the bridge was financed with debt, but no new tolls have been announced to repay it. CBC's Patrick Orecki explains why the toll may need to double from current rates.
Since Bloomberg Associates was launched in 2014, participating cities have invested more than $1 billion in initiatives supported or created by the philanthropic consultancy. Former NYC Deputy Mayor and Bloomberg Associates Principal Linda Gibbs joins the podcast to talk about her work using data to effect change in NYC and other cities.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has a plan to close the jails on Rikers Island, in part by reducing the overall city jail population to 5,000 detainees, down from about 8,200 now, which is down from well over 20,000 two decades ago. Liz Glazer, director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, joined the podcast to discuss the closure of Rikers and the administration’s other criminal justice policies.
1 - As in the first ever female Attorney General in New York State. Barbara Underwood was serving as Solicitor General when she was made the Acting Attorney General in May 2018 and was appointed by the Legislature to the position later that month. This podcast features her remarks at a CBC breakfast discussing the agenda of the Office of the Attorney General under her leadership.
$89.16 billion is the size of the Adopted Budget for FY 2019. After adjusting for prepayments in prior years and other reserves and spending, the total value of spending is $92 billion. This episode features a panel of fiscal experts hosted by the Association for a Better New York. Listen as they discuss the risks in this budget, the level of reserves needed, and NYC's fiscal outlook at large.
$17 billion is the preliminary budget for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 2019, an increase of 2.1% from 2018. CBC's Director of Infrastructure Studies Jamison Dague breaks down the preliminary budget and discusses looming risks, such as subway car reliability and progress of the various "action plans" put in place this year.
7.42% is the compounded salary and wage increases for members of DC37, the City’s largest municipal union for civilian workers, under a new contract that sets the pattern for negotiations with other labor unions. NYC Labor Commissioner Bob Linn joins the podcast to discuss this deal, the dynamics of negotiating with the public workforce, and why health insurance is an area long overdue for savings.
$31.8 billion is the amount required to repair NYCHA's public housing units over the next five years. CBC Senior Research Associate Sean Campion discuss the findings and recommendations of CBC's recent report on NYCHA's capital needs and explains how NYCHA got into such a deep hole and and how it can start to dig out.
1,441 is the number of overdose fatalities in New York City in 2017. NYC Commissioner of Health Dr. Mary Bassett discusses Healing NYC, a new program designed to combat the opioid health crisis, as well as neighborhood health clinics, lead testing at NYCHA and more.
75% is the share of jobs gained since the recession in the NYC metropolitan region that were created in New York City, a datapoint revealed in a forthcoming report from the Department of City Planning. Marisa Lago, Director of the Department and Chair of the City Planning Commission, joined CBC to discuss some of the report's findings as well as neighborhood revitalization, housing affordability, and resiliency and sustainability.
$225 billion is the total amount added to reserves and the retiree health benefits trust fund in the recently adopted budget. In contrast, the City added more than $2 billion in new spending, far outpacing what was set aside. NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer joined the podcast to discuss the adequacy of the City's reserves, agency spending, and other issues
2020 is the year of the next Census, a national survey that determines the number of seats each state is allocated in the House of Representatives, and informs policy and funding decisions at all levels of government. Phil Thompson, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives, is in charge of coordinating the City's public outreach in the months leading up to the Census. The Deputy Mayor joined the podcast to discuss the importance of Census outreach and the many other initiatives he is spearheading.
1,988 lbs is the average amount of garbage a NYC household throws out each year. City Council Member Antonio Reynoso, Chair of the Council’s Sanitation Committee, joined to discuss the cost of disposing trash, the capture rate of recyclable materials, commercial waste management, and other important issues related to sanitation and the environment.
402 is the projected headcount at the Department of Investigation at the end of FY 2018. Since 2013, the DOI’s budget has grown from $30.6 million to $48.2 million, an increase of 58%. DOI Commissioner Mark Peters discusses the reasons behind this growth and the major investigations he has led.
176,000 is the number of New Yorkers statewide currently enrolled in Health Home, a Medicaid program that coordinates care for individuals with complex health needs. CBC Research Associate Patrick Orecki summarizes the state's experience with the Health Home initiative.
You can read CBC's report "Options for Enhancing New York's Health Home Initiative" here: https://cbcny.org/research/options-enhancing-new-yorks-health-home-initiative
4 is the number of neighborhood rezonings that have been passed under Mayor de Blasio. Sally Goldenberg, Politico's Senior Reporter on real estate and housing, joined Ben and Maria to discuss the rezonings that have passed, those that haven’t, possible future rezonings, and more on housing and real estate.
5.8% - the increase in city-funded spending in the New York City Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2019. Ana Champeny joins Ben and Maria to discuss increased spending, new initiatives, taxes, reserves, and more.
$307.45 - the minimum per square foot price for selling air rights in East Midtown. NYC Department of City Planning General Counsel and Chief Data Officer Anita Laremont discusses the de Blasio's administration's approach to commercial and neighborhood development, including the East Midtown rezoning, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, and more.
$168.3 billion is the size of New York State's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget. CBC's David Friedfel joined WT[D]P to discuss spending in this year's budget, as well as how the MTA, NYCHA, and New York City fared in the process.
17% is the increase in the average bonus paid by Wall Street in 2017, bringing the average bonus to more than $161,000. NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli discusses Wall Street, the State and City budgets, State pension funds and more in remarks to CBC and a Q & A with Ben and Maria.
$9.5 billion is CBC’s estimate of the extra taxes New Yorkers will pay due to the cap on the state and local tax deduction, known as the SALT cap, enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Andrew Rein, director of CBC's Special Committee on Federal Tax Changes, discusses the impacts on NY and what the State and City should do in response.
$32.2 billion is the size of the 2017-2026 Capital Plan of the Port Authority of NY and NJ. This podcast features Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton, followed by a discussion on public-private partnerships, airport renovations, the fate of Gateway, and the 42nd Street bus terminal.
This episode's data point is 86 - as in the CBC's 86th Annual Awards Dinner. One of several awards given at the gala is the Felix G. Rohatyn Award, which recognizes champions of New York and sound fiscal management. This year's Rohatyn Award honoree is former Federal Reserve Board Vice-Chair Stanley Fischer, and this episode presents his remarks. He covers two broad topics: first, national fiscal policy, and second, financial markets.
$418 million is the amount Governor Andrew Cuomo wants New York City to commit to the Subway Action Plan, the emergency plan to address repairs to the distressed subway system. Politico NY senior reporter Dana Rubinstein discusses this and other pressing transit issues.
$72.4 billion is total Medicaid spending in the NYS Executive Budget for FY 2019. CBC's Senior Advisor for Health Policy Dr. Charles Brecher joined WT[D]P to discuss progress on Medicaid reforms and the potential impact of federal actions on health care in New York.
$88.7 billion is the NYC Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2019, released yesterday by Mayor Bill de Blasio. City-funded expenditures are up 4.3 percent over fiscal year 2018. Wall Street Journal City Hall reporter Mara Gay joined WT[D]P to wade into the preliminary budget's details.
New York taxpayers could lose as much as $14.3 billion in federal tax deductions because of the capping of the state and local tax deduction in the new federal tax law. NYS Budget Director Robert Mujica and NYC First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan discuss the potential impact and possible responses at a special conference event.
$168.2 billion is the NYS Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019. Dave Friedfel joins WT[D]P to discuss budget growth, school aid, medicaid, economic development, and proposals to deal with the impact of federal tax law changes.
$3.2 billion -- how much New York City spent on economic development in 2016, including tax expenditures, operating costs, and capital spending.
NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett joins the podcast to discuss the City's development strategy, tax breaks, NYC Ferry and the BQX project.
374 is the number of pages in Governor Cuomo's State of the State policy book. Laura Nahmias of Politico NY joins the podcast to discuss what the new year has in store for State and City politics.
2.7% is the economic growth forecast for 2018 in the Port Authority’s 17-county region, which encompasses more than 200 municipalities. The Port Authority's Chief Economist Alex Heil joined WT[D]P to discuss the economic and transportation trends that impact the Port's bottom line.
1996 is the last time a comprehensive regional plan was issued by the Regional Plan Association. Special guest Chris Jones, Senior Vice President and Chief Planner at RPA, joined the podcast to discuss the 4th Regional Plan, which was released last month. The plan contains 61 separate recommendations in four action areas that represent major challenges and areas of opportunity.
10 years is the amount of time the de Blasio administration says it will take to shut down Rikers Island.
Special guest Michael Jacobson is the executive director of the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance. He was once the City's Correction Commissioner as well as the Probation Commissioner. He is a member of the Lippman Commission, convened by the City Council to solve the crisis at Rikers. Michael joined the podcast to discuss the Commission's findings--namely to close Rikers and move the inmates to facilities near courthouses and civic centers throughout the boroughs.
$26 billion is the amount of property taxes the City will collect this fiscal year-- it is the largest single source of revenue that funds NYC government. Special guest Martha Stark is a former Commissioner of the Department of Finance. She joined the podcast to discuss the complexities of the system for valuing and taxing real property and explained why reform is badly needed.
44 is the number of days left in term-limited Council Member Daniel Garodnick's tenure. Council Member Garodnick has been a voice of reason in the City Council, having raised important questions about the city budget, economic development, and contracts. He chairs the City Council's Committee on Economic Development, is on the budget negotiating team, and in his final months has been fighting to pass reform of the commercial rent tax.
$67 billion is the amount of state and local taxes New York State residents deduct from their federal tax returns each year. Known as SALT, this deduction is the topic of intense debate in Washington. Congressional leadership proposes to eliminate or cap SALT in order to offset the cost of corporate and other tax cuts.
Special guest Jay Kriegel, Senior Advisor at Related Companies, is a New York communications and strategic advisor who has been involved in a number of major New York political and policy initiatives. In 1986, Jay led a national coalition that thwarted an attempt to eliminate the SALT deduction, and today he has taken a leadership role in the coalition to protect it.
The data points are 348 and 74.
348 is the number of Local Development Corporations and Industrial Development Agencies in NYS. These corporations made $16.2 billion in economic development investments from 2011 through 2015, yet only 5 of the state's 62 counties have had job growth higher than the national average. For this half of the podcast WTDP is joined by CBC Research Associate, Riley Edwards, author of the recent report: "Opaque and Duplicative - Local Economic Development in New York State."
74 is the number of Business Improvement Districts in NYC. CBC's report "BIDS - Organization, Oversight, and Transparency" describes the history and nature of these organizations, what services they provide, and whether property owners are getting their money's worth. WTDP is joined by CBC's Director of Research, Tim Sullivan, to explain.
This episode's datapoint is $95 billion, the current value of all of the future retiree benefits, except pensions, already earned by current retirees and employees of NYC. This amount, referred to as OPEB, or 'Other Post-Employment Benefits,' is primarily the cost of health insurance for NYC employees, their spouses and families. Special guest Dr. Thad Calabrese of NYU, and author of CBC's latest report on this subject, "The Price of Promises Made," gives an in-depth look at the City's OPEB obligations, compare them to those of other cities around the country, and explains why the City should establish more appropriate benefits and funding arrangements.
This episode's datapoint is 1936, as in the last time that voters in New York chose to call a convention to amend the state constitution. It is a question that is mandated to be on the ballot every 20 years, and after it was voted down by voters in 1957, 1977, and 1997, we are again at the 20-year mark here in 2017. Today's special guest is Dr. Gerald Benjamin of SUNY New Paltz, an expert on the constitution and the convention process.
This episode's datapoint is "60+," as in the combined years of professional experience of special guests Renee Boicourt and Kent Hiteshew in matters of public finance. Listen to a live recording from CBC's recent event, "Fiscal Crises," where our expert guests discussed lessons learned from the bankruptcy of Detroit and the ongoing crisis in Puerto Rico.
This episode's datapoint is "4,” as in Bill de Blasio's four years as mayor. Greg David of Crain's New York Business and CUNY Journalism School joined the podcast to discuss his recent investigative piece in Crain's about Mayor de Blasio's performance during his first term.
95 is the number of days remaining in the second term of City Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland. Julissa is the first woman, first person of color, and the youngest person to chair the Council’s powerful Committee on Finance, which oversees the adoption of the City’s $85 billion annual budget.
This past June Julissa announced that she would not seek another term in the Council-- she discussed with us her time in the City Council, especially as finance chair, and more.
77,651 is the number of affordable housing units financed thus far in Mayor de Blasio’s 10-year plan to construct or preserve a total of 200,000 affordable units over 10 years. Since the Mayor took office, NYC Housing Preservation & Development (HPD) has overseen the commitment of $2.8 billion for affordable housing, most of it through loans and development programs.
HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer joins the podcast to discuss the progress of and challenges to the ambitious Housing New York plan.
Today’s data point is $66 billion – the amount New York’s school districts received in revenue during the 2015-2016 school year. The state's 674 districts collect an average of $23,635 per student - however, 15 districts surpass this amount, collecting $40,000 per student, while 11 districts fall short, collecting only $11,000 per student.
Broken down by revenue source there’s even more variability, with some districts getting less than 5 percent of revenues from the state, while others rely on state funding for more than 80 cents of every dollar they spend.
Dig deeper with CBC's related blog and interactive map at www.cbcny.org
This week's data point is 30% - the share, based on dollar value, of city contracts to be awarded to minority- and women-owned businesses by fiscal year 2021, according to a goal set by Mayor Bill de Blasio in September 2016. New York City Deputy Mayor Richard Buery joins the podcast to discuss his efforts to meet that goal.
This week's datapoint is $1.5 billion - the amount of money that can be raised by the congestion pricing plan known as MOVE NY. The plan introduces tolls to the East River bridges, a surcharge on taxis and for-hire vehicles, and lays out specific plans for using the funding to improve transportation across the city.
This week's data point is $17 billion - the capital needs for rehabilitating the nation's largest housing authority. NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye joins the podcast to discuss strategies for addressing these capital needs and to review progress implementing NextGenNYCHA, its strategic plan.
This week's datapoint is 2008 - the year in which NYC's economy entered the Great Recession. Special guest John Breit, former chief risk advisor to Merrill Lynch, shares with us his unique perspective on the recession and on the risks of the City's investments in the pension funds.
This weeks data point is 100,000 - the number of “good-paying jobs” the de Blasio administration says it will foster over the next 10 years. Special Guest Alicia Glen, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development, discusses the news jobs plan, as well as commercial development, affordable housing, and NYC's competitiveness.
This week's data point is 30 days - the period in which MTA New York City Transit will conduct a "top-to-bottom" review to identify changes necessary to improve its performance. CBC's Director of Infrastructure Studies Jamison Dague discusses underinvestment and how resources are being directed in the capital plan with Ben Max and Maria Doulis.
This week's data point is $32.5 billion - the value of Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA's) capital plan for 2015 to 2019. Special guest MTA Chief Development Officer Janno Lieber discusses the MTA's capital priorities and how the authority can improve management of its mega-projects.
This week's data point is $780 million - the value of contracts involved in the alleged bid-rigging and corruption scandal involving State economic development programs. Special guest New York State Comptroller Tom Dinapoli discusses his proposal for independent review and reform of state procurement practices with Ben Max and Maria Doulis, and Dave Friedfel reviews what else did-- and didn't-- happen in this legislative and budget session.
This week's data point is 44% - the share of New Yorkers who are satisfied with New York City municipal services. Listen to Ben Max, Maria Doulis, and special guest Alyssa Katz of the Daily News discuss the findings of CBC's Citywide Resident Feedback Survey.
New York City recently adopted an $85.2 billion budget. What are the largest aspects of spending, the most contentious parts of the budget deal, and the risks ahead?