Paying for Parks Reviewing history reveals two important findings: First, the City’s allocation for parks has been consistent over time. Second, as its capital investments in parks increased, growing debt service cost...

NEW REPORT: NYC will spend $1.4B—1.2% of its budget—on parks in FY26, nearly the same share as in 1974. But debt service has increased, meaning operations are a smaller share of the pie.

Read more here: bit.ly/42TfuMJ

We're seeking a Director of State Studies to lead our Albany-based team! Help shape policy on NY’s finances, taxes, education, and more.

Full job description: cbcny.org/jobs-and-int...

Ballot Measures 2–5: ✅

Next up on the road to smarter, faster government: reforming SEQRA!

Fare and toll evasion cost the MTA $1 billion in 2024. The good news is trends are headed in the right direction for the first time in 5 years.

Read our recs to the MTA to keep the progress going: bit.ly/3HVxf6O

New York City spent $1.2B on CityFHEPS housing vouchers in FY25. Do mayoral candidates want to shrink, expand or hold the program steady?

Cuomo: Hold steady
Mamdani: Expand
Sliwa: Hold steady
Walden: Hold steady

Detailed responses: bit.ly/4ma1Mfg

What do New York City’s mayoral candidates want to do with personal income tax rates?

Andrew Cuomo: ↓ Decrease
Zohran Mamdani: ↑ Increase
Curtis Sliwa: ↓ Decrease
Jim Walden: → Keep Same

Full breakdown of their positions: bit.ly/4ma1Mfg

The Hidden Cost of New York’s Shrinking Millionaire Share New York’s share of the nation’s millionaires plummeted 31 percent between 2010 and 2022. Had shares stayed at 2010 levels, the State and City would have collected more than $13 billion in additional ...

As #NewYork faces challenges including affordability, service quality and gaps, and fierce competition from other states for residents and businesses, there is renewed discussion on how much to #tax high earners:
bit.ly/4pbTMx1

No Fare If fare evasion continues to sap the MTA’s revenues, the system will not be stable and able to provide the services New Yorkers and the region’s economy need.

CBC’s new report finds that fare and toll evasion cost the MTA $1 billion in 2024. The good news is trends are headed in the right direction for the first time in 5 years.

Read our recs to the MTA to keep the progress going: bit.ly/3HVxf6O

CBC Recommends Voting Yes on November Ballot Questions 2, 3, 4, and 5 to Boost Housing Production in New York The CRC proposed 3 ballot questions that will improve NYC’s land use decision-making process and one that will modernize administration of the City Map.

NYC’s housing & affordability crises drive up rents & home prices.

The Charter Revision Commission’s proposals would improve land use decision–making & help boost housing production.

CBC recommends New Yorkers vote Yes ✔ on Questions 2–5.

bit.ly/4gdywm8

Straight from the Candidates: bit.ly/CBCMayoral

#ZohranMamdani #AndrewCuomo #CurtisSliwa #JimWalden #NYC #nycmayor

Only 34% of NYC residents rate the city's quality excellent or good. Just 27% rate city services positively.

t.co/U9Cm2JsR3A

55% of New Yorkers plan to stay over the next 5 years—but affordability (76%), safety (73%), and living space (60%) are top concerns for those considering leaving.

Explore more survey results: tabsoft.co/40WnnQg

Straight from New Yorkers CBC's in-depth, rigorous survey of how New Yorkers feel about their quality of life, public safety, government services, and future from before the pandemic to today.

Only 34% of New Yorkers rate the city’s quality of life “excellent” or “good” – 🔽from 51% in 2017. Gov services & subway safety ratings remain well below pre-pandemic levels. NYC needs decisive leadership, bold action, & smart choices for a better future

bit.ly/Straight-fro...

New York Budget Briefing FY 2026 The New York State and New York City budgets are unaffordable and unprepared both for a recession and for federal budget cuts that will start hitting this fiscal year and grow in the future.

Missed CBC's latest webinar? The full video is now available. Watch as CBC staff breaks down the New York City and State FY 2026 budgets, the impact of federal cuts, and what it means for the years ahead:

cbcny.org/research/new...

This morning, CBC unpacked New York City & State FY 2026 budgets in new webinar. Key takeaways:

🔹City out-year gaps could exceed $6–10B
🔹State structural imbalance exceeds $22B
🔹No funding set aside to deal with federal cuts

View presentation deck: bit.ly/3IA54Kv

"Spent too much, prepared too little" Citizens Budget Commission on current NYS finances New York State lawmakers are continuing to discuss a potential special session to address the federal government's reconciliation plan, but have yet to decide.

CBC’s Patrick Orecki joined CBS6 to urge all State leaders to make the tough, smart budget choices:

"You want every lawmaker at the table… not just the governor making decisions unilaterally."

cbs6albany.com/news/local/s...

Straight from the Candidates In the heat of the mayoral race, substantive policy discussions are too often drowned out by the talk of personalities, ideologies, and histories. CBC asked each candidate how they plan to manage the ...

How does the presumptive Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani plan to manage New York City?

Check out his complete answers to CBC’s Straight from the Candidates mayoral questionnaire: bit.ly/CBCMayoralQu...

Only smart choices will deliver NYC prosperity New Yorkers are sending a clear message: The city isn’t delivering enough. The Citizens Budget Commission’s recent survey, Straight From New Yorkers, paints a stark picture with residents rating qu…

New York needs leadership that is ambitious enough to pursue big goals and pragmatic enough to deliver them.

Read CBC's @andrewsrein.bsky.social op-ed in today's
@nydailynews.com on why we need smart choices for a better future: bit.ly/3HW6PkM

Smart Choices, Better Future New York is at a critical juncture. Watch the video of CBC’s Smart Choices, Better Future Campaign kickoff, including practical forward-looking solutions to keep New York competitive and a cross-secto...

Regardless of how people rank NYC mayoral candidates, today's NYT editorial echoes what CBC and @andrewsrein.bsky.social have been saying: New York City is at a critical juncture, and we need to make smart choices for a better future.

Watch our event here: bit.ly/45Qhk2T

Straight from New Yorkers 2025 New Yorkers’ ratings of quality of life, quality of services, and public safety mostly remain well below pre-pandemic levels reported in 2017 but with modest improvements since 2023.

New Yorkers are sending a clear message: The City isn’t delivering enough.

CBC's Straight from New Yorkers 2025 resident survey paints a stark picture: widespread dissatisfaction persists across quality of life, government services, and public safety.

bit.ly/43uIhYw

Straight from New Yorkers 2025 New Yorkers’ ratings of quality of life, quality of services, and public safety mostly remain well below pre-pandemic levels reported in 2017 but with modest improvements since 2023.

📣CBC's Straight from New Yorkers 2025 resident survey finds:

👎Bronx residents least satisfied.
👎Black and Hispanic New Yorkers report lower ratings.
👎Subway safety ratings still alarmingly low.
👎Higher-income earners’ satisfaction plunges.

bit.ly/43uIhYw

Testimony on Improving NYC Finances and Land Use While there is a role for community input into the planning process, it is important to maintain an appropriate balance between local concerns and citywide needs.

As the NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy meets tonight to discuss potential charter changes, here's CBC's take on how to improve NYC finances and land use: bit.ly/45dtmmE

“Instead of holding funds aside, lawmakers skyrocketed spending, slashed recession reserves, and sabotaged the state’s fiscal foundation,” said CBC's @andrewsrein.bsky.social. “The budget simply is unaffordable.”

Statement on Fiscal Year 2026 New York State Budget Instead of holding funds aside, lawmakers skyrocketed spending, slashed recession reserves, and sabotaged the State’s fiscal foundation. The budget simply is unaffordable.

NEW YORK STATE BUDGET: The extremely late $254 billion State budget virtually ignores the double-whammy threat posed by looming massive federal budget cuts and a possible recession.

bit.ly/4jMv6Ij

Do you want a deeper understanding of the forces shaping NYC? Who’s moving in and out? Which sectors are hiring? How residents rate quality of life and safety?

Check out CBC's Competitive NYC: Value Proposition Tracker: bit.ly/CompetitiveNYC

New York City’s competitiveness is one of the most important issues of our time.

That’s why CBC is launching Competitive NYC: Value Proposition Tracker.

Empowering all New Yorkers with data to drive the smarter choices we need for a better future.

bit.ly/CompetitiveNYC

Hey Albany! Let’s Finish The Budget – You Know, the One with the Money New York's front page for political news. Latest NY politics news, reports, and columnists

New York needs to change its culture and stop using the budget to leverage hard policy decisions.

CBC's Patrick Orecki in @empirereportny.bsky.social

empirereportnewyork.com/hey-albany-l...

How New York City Should Prepare for Changes in Federal Funding CBC urges a proactive, forward-looking response to protect New Yorkers. The City should prepare now while resources remain available and flexibility remains intact. Waiting for clarity on which specif...

Read the testimony CBC President Andrew Rein will deliver at today's joint Council hearing here: bit.ly/3G6MzMF

Table 1: NYC Fiscal Year 2026 Federal Revenue Budget Including Detail for Grants Greater than $100 Million, as of January 2025 Financial Plan | Created with Datawrapper (dollars in millions)

Plus, we've got a breakdown of federal grants to New York City that are greater than $100M.

www.datawrapper.de/_/HgnKF/

CBC's recommendations to prepare New York City for looming federal budget cuts:

☑️ Hold the line on new spending
☑️Add at least $1B to General Reserve
☑️ Add $500M to Rainy Day Fund
☑️Implement a Program to Eliminate the Gap
☑️End the budget gimmickry