What's The [DATA] Point

1,039,069 is the number of kids under the age of five in New York who could ultimately qualify for free or subsidized childcare under the Hochul/Mamdani plan. How should the State and City design a flexible program that meets the needs of diverse families? How should it be phased? What does "universal" 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

221 is the number of New Yorkers who joined CBC's Mayoral Smart Choices Half-Day Conference. In part 2 of a three-part series, a panel explores important questions about delivering services to New Yorkers: how do we ensure that the most high-quality and effective programs rise to the top and are managed well? How do we shrink what isn’t working even if it’s politically popular?

- Henry Garrido, Executive Director, District Council 37

- Melanie Hartzog, President & 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).