Citywide, the average high school student’s commute to school—by subway, bus, or foot—in school year 2011-2012 was estimated to take 32 minutes. In comparison, the commutes for city residents to jobs in the five boroughs averaged 39 minutes in 2012.
While what consitutes a progressive budget is fundamentally a subjective matter, examining the mayor's budget themes of fiscal responsibility and budget honesty fall more directly within IBO's role.
In this report, IBO examines NYC Department of Education human resources data for public school teachers for school years 2000-2001 through 2011-2012. Over this 12 year period the report looks
at data on teachers' age, gender, self-reported race or ethnicity, and experience working in the city's public schools.
An annual rite of spring in NYC has been the often contentious debate over the setting of the rate customers will pay for the city's water and sewer system in the coming fiscal year. Since 1995 the rate has increased
every year, some years by as much as 10 percent or more. The de Blasio Administration recently made its first water rate proposal calling for an increase of 3.35 percent.
This is IBO's review of the Mayor's Preliminary Budget for 2015 and Financial Plan through 2018. The report reflects state issues that are affecting the City budget presented in Mayor de Blasio's plan.
The amount the city budgets each year for snow removal is set by a formula in the City Charter. The formula is the average of spending on snow removal in the five prior years—so the budget for 2014 is based on the actual amounts spent in fiscal years 2008–2012.