Testimony - December 2017
New York State’s Excelsior Scholarship ShortcomingsIn this testimony before the New York State Assembly Committee on Higher Education, CUF's Senior Fellow for Economic Opportunity, Tom Hilliard, argues that the Excelsior Scholarship program has shortcomings that threaten to cripple its effectiveness, while offering little to help more college students graduate with a degree.
Commentary/Op-Ed - November 2017
Commentary: Taking Career Pathways from Vision to RealityMayor Bill de Blasio's administration has made important progress on Career Pathways, a vital plan to overhaul New York City's workforce development system. But in order to realize the full potential of this transformation, the city needs to commit to implementing what it began nearly four years ago. Here’s how policymakers can take Career Pathways from vision to reality.
Testimony - November 2017
JFK’s Air Cargo Industry Provides a Runway to the Middle ClassIn this testimony before the New York City Council Committee on Economic Development, CUF's policy director, Matt Chaban, argues that the city, state, and Port Authority must address the woes of JFK's shrinking air cargo industry. Not just global commerce but thousands of good-paying jobs are at stake.
Commentary/Op-Ed - November 2017
Op-Ed: NYC’s Infrastructure Woes Run Deeper than the SubwayIf the ongoing subway crisis should remind New York City of anything, it is the dangers of neglecting infrastructure. The city faces at least $47 billion in unmet infrastructure needs just to reach a state of good repair, and any major expansions or sweeping modernizations would cost billions more. With infrastructure in crisis everywhere, officials need to direct sustained funding to these critical needs.
Report - October 2017
Making the Connection: Aligning Small Businesses and the Workforce Development SystemSmall businesses have been sparking much of the recent job growth in New York City. However, there is a major disconnect in the city's workforce development system when it comes to working with small businesses. This report explores how to achieve greater alignment between the city’s thousands of small businesses and the workforce development system.
Commentary/Op-Ed - October 2017
Op-Ed: On New York’s Amazon Wishlist? More Homegrown College GraduatesBids are due today for Amazon’s new headquarters and it seems cities across North America have joined the fray. New York City alone has multiple neighborhoods vying for Bezos’ bounty. However, New York’s ability to lure the world’s fourth largest corporation will hinge on whether its workforce is primed and ready.
