These publications have covered important topics such as city spending on schools [4] progress and prospects for completing the Mayor's housing plan,[5] the tax burden on city residents including property taxes, the fiscal impact of financing sports stadiums, and the cost of recycling.
Public officials, civic and community groups, academics, advocates, union officials, and members, students, members of the media, and others can reach out to IBO to provide answers to a wide range of questions—from the budget of a particular agency or program to more complex budget, tax or, fiscal issues requiring in-depth research and analysis.
After voters approved its creation in 1989, several mayors and elected officials initially contended IBO would only duplicate the efforts of other budget-related agencies and refused to fund it.
After three lawsuits filed by elected officials and good-government groups and several favorable court decisions, IBO was finally funded in 1996,[9][10] and began to issue reports soon afterward.
[11][12] However, Mayor Giuliani, who had long opposed the creation of IBO, attempted to prevent it from fulfilling its mandate by withholding necessary data from the agency and failing to include money for the office in his proposed budget for 1998-99.
It was because of this reputation that in 2009 IBO's role was extended beyond budget analysis as part of a plan to renew mayoral control of the New York City school system.
[15][16] The agency was empowered to monitor and report on all aspects of the New York City Department of Education, and state lawmakers accordingly increased IBO's allocation to 12.5 percent of the Mayor's budget office.