Friday, May 29, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Finance
The Committee on Finance held a lengthy joint executive budget hearing covering three agencies: the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), and the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC). DOT topics included automated enforcement cameras, daylighting costs and criteria, bus action plan funding, cycling infrastructure, pothole repair, streetlight maintenance, and World Cup preparations. DCWP topics included the mayor's budget increase for worker protections, enforcement backlog, delivery worker deactivation laws, street vendor licensing, and consumer protection enforcement. EDC topics included job losses, city-backed grocery stores, the city-backed insurance program for affordable housing, ferry operations, and economic development strategy. No votes were taken; public testimony was scheduled separately for June 10.
0:09 To go.
0:09 Zoom. We can start the
0:10 have one. Good morning. Good
0:41 morning. Welcome to the New
0:42 York City Council executive
0:43 budget hearing on the
0:44 committee on fine and joint
0:45 with the committee on
0:47 transportation and
0:48 infrastructure joint with the
0:49 committee on economic
0:50 development and joint with the
0:53 joint with the committee on.
0:56 Sorry, there is economic bill
1:01 and ah was you know the other
1:05 one
1:06 . Consumer worker protection
1:07 .apologies at this time no food
1:08 or beverages are allowed in
1:10 this room and please do not
1:11 approach a day is thank you
1:12 for your cooperation chairs
1:13 you begin. Great. Thank you.
1:19 Oh, I always forget to do tha
1:20 t.
1:20 A good morning and welcome
1:22 to the fourth day of the
1:24 executive budget hearings and
1:25 Council Member Linda Lee
1:27 today's hearings will begin
1:28 with the department of
1:30 transportation, followed by
1:30 the department consumer
1:33 protection and the New York
1:34 City economic development
1:34 corporations. So we have a
1:35 very fun day ahead of us. I'm
1:37 pleased to be joined by my
1:38 colleagues who are here with
1:39 us today and also especially
1:42 our majority leader Shaun
1:42 Abreu, is the chair of the
1:45 committee of transportation,
1:46 and we have been joined by
1:47 council members juan wrestler
1:50 lewis and Wong, I think that's
1:52 it for now and welcome to
1:57 commissioner mike flynn. You
1:57 and your team. Thank you all
1:59 for joining us today for
2:00 today's hearing and answering
2:00 our questions and on May 1
2:05 22620 26, the administration
2:05 released the executive
2:07 financial plan for fiscal
2:08 years 26 2 30 whether proposed
2:12 27 budget of $124.7 billion,
2:16 the department of
2:17 transportation proposed fiscal
2:17 27 budget of represents 1.3%
2:23 of the administration's
2:24 proposed 27 budget in the
2:27 executive plan, and this is a
2:27 nincrease of $78.4 million, or
2:31 5% from the originally
2:32 budgeted in the 20 plan. This
2:36 increased results from several
2:39 actions, including from there
2:40 ,money added for several New
2:42 needs, including funding for a
2:43 bus action plan that has
2:45 additional City funding of 1
2:48 69 million and 70 head count
2:49 positions in a 27. 3
2:53 0Million89% position at 89 New
2:54 positions in f y 28 34 million
2:59 and 103 positions in 529 and
3:02 35 million and 104 positions
3:03 in 30 20 30. There was also
3:06 money added for cycling and
3:07 micro mobility, which includes
3:08 a City funding of 11.2 millio
3:12 nand 45 positions in fiscal 2
3:16 78.6 million and 52 position
3:17 sin 28 and growing to 22.
3:20 8Million and 54 positions by f.
3:23 Y. 30. There were also several
3:24 big adjustments due to fuel
3:26 costs. There was in a of City
3:32 funding that was baseline
3:33 starting in f y 27 for heat,
3:35 light and power costs related
3:36 to the staten island ferry as
3:38 of April 26 count with 647
3:43 less than their fiscal 26
3:44 budget attack count in the
3:47 counsel's preliminary budget
3:48 response, the council
3:49 identified a few areas related
3:50 to where the City could
3:52 allocate additional resources
3:53 that would provide either
3:54 additional revenue or expense
3:57 savings. The budget response
3:57 called on the administration
3:58 to reflect the annual expense
4:00 savings of 5 million. $
4:02 5Million from re estimates of
4:03 underspending in the bureau of
4:05 bridges, the council also
4:08 identified more than in
4:09 additional revenue from
4:12 increased enforcement of truck
4:14 violations, expansion of the
4:15 red light camera program and
4:16 renting space underneath the
4:18 brooklyn bridge and collection
4:19 of parking fines. My questions
4:21 will largely focus on the
4:22 automated enforcement unit
4:24 camera savings red light
4:25 camera revenue vacancy
4:26 reduction, vision syrup and
4:28 anticipated revenue from
4:29 . Franchises and and I want t
4:30 oturn it over to my co chair
4:32 for this hearing, majority
4:33 leader and chair Shaun for his
4:35 opening statement. Thank you,
4:37 sherif
4:38 . Good mningor and welcome t
4:39 othe committee on
4:40 transportation and
4:40 infrastructure is joint
4:41 hearing with the committee on
4:42 finance on the fiscal 20 27
4:45 executive budget for the
4:45 department of transportation
4:48 .my name is shawn bray when I
4:49 chair the committee on
4:49 transportation and
4:52 infrastructure. I want to
4:53 begin by thanking the
4:53 representatives from the New
4:54 York City department of
4:55 transportation for appearing
4:56 before this committee, that's
4:57 what was my colleagues,
4:59 advocates, labor
5:00 representatives committee
5:01 organizations and members of
5:03 the public who continue t
5:04 oengage on transportation
5:04 issues that affect millions of
5:06 New yorkers every single day
5:08 .I have a emphasized that
5:10 effective and efficient
5:11 sportation is vital for
5:14 economic growth, social
5:16 mobility and commerce
5:17 transportation is not simpl
5:18 yabout moving people from one
5:20 place to another. It is about
5:22 economic opportunity, public
5:25 safety accessibility, quality
5:26 eour City whether New yorkers
5:31 are commuting to work,
5:31 bringing their children t
5:33 oschool operating small
5:34 businesses or accessing health
5:36 care and essential service
5:37 sthey depend on the
5:38 transportation system that is
5:39 reliable, equitable and safe.
5:43 Today we'll hear from the
5:44 popular transportatn oion its
5:46 fiscal 20 27 executive budget.
5:50 Lt's commitments as presented
5:51 in the executive capital plan
5:53 for fiscal 20 26 20 30, th
5:56 eexecutive commitment plan
5:59 totals 13.8 billion 3.7% less
6:02 than the total for the same
6:03 period presented in the
6:05 preliminary capital command
6:06 plan released in the
6:09 department's planned
6:10 commitments comprise 11.8% of
6:11 the city's total fiscal 20 26
6:17 20 20 30, capital command
6:22 plant
6:22 . At our preliminary budget
6:23 hearing in we pressed the to
6:26 adequately fund the streets
6:27 plan, so deal, mandate and.
6:30 In this executive plan we
6:31 see additional funding at our
6:35 preliminary hearing. We urg
6:35 ethe administration to include
6:36 more funding for public realm
6:38 programs such as open streets
6:39 so they can expand beyond
6:42 their current
6:42 . Levels and in this executive
6:44 plan, we see additional
6:47 funding at our preliminary
6:50 hearing, we beseech the
6:51 administration to include
6:52 additional resources to help
6:53 fill our potholes after this
6:55 historic winner and it is
6:57 executive plan we see
7:00 additional funding
7:00 . At the preliminary hearing,
7:01 we implore the administration
7:03 to include more funding t
7:05 ohelp reduce the alarming trend
7:07 of longer waits for street
7:11 light repairs and in this
7:12 executive plan we see a
7:15 funding.
7:16 Is this funding going toward
7:17 improving the specific
7:18 problematic areas, is it
7:19 enough for it to to accomplish
7:21 all the basic and necessary
7:23 functions, the agency is
7:24 supposed to carry out. I I
7:26 look forward to digging int
7:27 othose details today as chair.
7:30 I want the syrian to focus not
7:31 only on accomplishments but
7:33 also on accountability New
7:35 yorkers deserve transparency
7:36 regarding project timelines,
7:38 funding decisions, agency
7:39 coordination and measurable
7:41 outcomes.
7:41 Communities across the City
7:43 continue to raise concerns
7:45 about dangerous intersections
7:47 ,traffic congestion delayed
7:50 street redesigns,
7:50 accessibility barriers and the
7:52 equitable distribution of
7:55 transportation resources
7:56 . These concerns require
7:56 serious attention and concrete
7:58 action, as jacob javits once
8:01 said. A budget is not just a
8:01 collection of numbers, but an
8:03 expression of our values and
8:07 aspirations. I look forward to
8:08 better understanding how this
8:09 year's executive budget. Can
8:10 anne will meet legal
8:12 requirements and more
8:13 effectively served community
8:15 citywide before we begin. I'd
8:15 like to thank council staff
8:17 for their hard work on
8:18 preparing for this hearing aid
8:19 ginger paul to my lef
8:22 tprincipal financial alice of
8:23 the committee, dan croup,
8:26 assistant director finance
8:28 division, cheema deputy
8:29 director of finance division
8:30 theodore miller, committee
8:32 counsel sarah townsend,
8:34 committee counsel Kevin
8:34 kotowski and john brazil
8:36 senior policy analyst and, of
8:38 course, my staff, including my
8:42 including lisa quickly, my
8:43 deputy and with that, I will
8:43 not pass it back to charlie
8:47 . Being future. We've also
8:47 been joined by councilmember
8:50 Epstein um and before we get
8:52 started, just a couple
8:55 logistical things as a
8:56 reminder just wanted to let
8:57 everyone know that for this
8:58 year's executive budget
9:01 because the hearings are
9:02 delayed and we need to scrunch
9:03 everything in a shorter period
9:04 of time. We are doing the
9:06 public testimony, all on one
9:07 day should be fun on June 10
9:10 beginning at 9 30 a. M so
9:11 public testimonies June 10 at
9:15 9 30 a. M. Join us, please.
9:16 Because we want to hear back
9:17 from the public, and so we've
9:18 been sending out e mails and
9:19 notifications. But if you guys
9:20 could tell your folks that
9:21 would be great as well. Um
9:23 ,and now I will turn it over t
9:25 ocommittee counsel to swear in
9:26 the witnesses for their
9:31 testimony. Good morning. Do
9:31 you affirm to tell the truth,
9:32 the whole truth and nothing
9:33 but the truth before this
9:34 committee and to respond
9:36 honestly to Council Member
9:37 questions commissioner flynn,
9:42 first deputy commissioner for
9:44 jal. I do, deputy commissioner
9:46 beaten. I do, assistant
9:49 commissioner rodriguez
9:49 . I do an associate
9:51 commissioner. You're a slow
9:54 ask. I didn't. You begin.
9:59 Wonderful. Well, good morning
10:00 and thanks so much chair of
10:02 you, charlie and members of
10:03 the committees on
10:05 transportation infrastructure
10:06 and finance a.
10:07 Mike flynn, commissioner of
10:08 the New York City department
10:11 of transportation and I'm
10:12 joined today with first deputy
10:12 commissioner margaret for jon
10:15 I, acting chief administrative
10:16 officer igor yaroslav, deputy
10:18 commissioner of transportation
10:19 planning and management, erik
10:20 beaten an assistant
10:21 commissioner for inner
10:23 governmental and community
10:23 affairs rick rodriguez. Thank
10:26 you for the opportunity t
10:27 otestify on behalf of mayors or
10:28 mamdani on dot fiscal year
10:32 2027 executive budget and
10:32 fiscal year 20 26 2 20 35
10:37 capital plan. As Mayor,
10:38 mamdani announced this
10:38 executive budget puts forward
10:39 a strong budget during a tough
10:41 fiscal climate that's balanced
10:42 while also protecting the
10:44 daily services New yorkers
10:45 rely on and I apologize if I
10:47 go a little quickly because I
10:48 know we are tight on time this
10:50 budget will support to focused
10:52 on our mission to provide for
10:53 the safe, equitable and
10:55 sustainable movement of people
10:57 and goods and create public
10:58 spaces that strengthen our
11:00 communities we appreciate the
11:01 mayor's continued investment
11:03 in dot enabling us to maintain
11:05 our infrastructure programs
11:06 and essential operations to
11:09 help all New yorkers and
11:10 millions of visitors move
11:11 around our City executive
11:13 budget advances the mayor's
11:14 commitment to make New York
11:16 City transportation safer,
11:17 more affordable and more
11:18 reliable for working families
11:21 through investments in st
11:23 safety conditions, transit,
11:24 accessibility, freight
11:25 mobility and public realm
11:27 improvements continues t
11:29 odeliver core services New
11:29 yorkers depend on every day
11:32 while maintaining strong
11:35 fiscal stewardship. This
11:36 budget supports the city's
11:36 long term economic vitality by
11:38 investing in safer streets and
11:40 faster buses modernizing
11:42 critical transportation assets
11:43 and delivering capital
11:44 projects efficiently and
11:47 responsibly remains focused on
11:48 achieving measurable results
11:50 for New yorkers across all
11:52 five boroughs while supporting
11:53 the administration's broader
11:54 goals of affordability,
11:57 accessibility, sustainability
11:57 and operational excellence. As
12:01 I said in we're thinking big
12:02 and being bold less than five
12:04 months into this
12:04 administration is moving with
12:06 urgency and ambition to make
12:07 our streetscape the envy of
12:09 the world we're advancing
12:10 major projects getting shovels
12:12 in the ground and raising the
12:13 bar for what New yorkers
12:14 should expect from their
12:15 streets and from our
12:18 commitment is simple, deliver
12:20 transformational change tha
12:21 tnew yorkers can see and feel
12:23 th Mayor man donny's
12:24 partnership and the additional
12:26 resources committed by this
12:28 faster and deliver at the
12:33 highest level because at th
12:34 ecenter of this work are peopl
12:35 e, the infrastructure we build
12:36 and maintain his ultimately
12:37 about protecting and serving
12:39 New yorkers making streets
12:41 safer buses, faster
12:43 transportation, more
12:43 affordable and sustainable and
12:45 public spaces more welcoming
12:49 and accessible. That's why
12:49 we're scaling up protected
12:50 bike lanes. It's why we're
12:51 expanding protected bus lanes
12:52 and bus priority. That's why
12:54 we're creating more space for
12:56 pedestrians and it's why we're
12:57 working around the clock t
12:58 oimprove the state of good
12:59 repair and the safe operations
13:01 of all of our assets with
13:03 efficiency and technical.
13:05 Rigor, roadways, sidewalks,
13:06 bridges, traffic signals and
13:07 streetlights and the staten
13:08 island ferry, among other
13:11 things. We're putting people
13:12 before politics and laser
13:13 focused on achieving the on
13:15 the ground results. The New
13:18 yorkers expect. In I reviewed
13:19 many of our accomplishments of
13:19 ongoing work from previous
13:21 years and highlighted our top
13:22 priorities for my first year
13:24 on the job today I provide
13:25 updates on a few of those
13:26 priorities and some of the key
13:27 changes in our executive
13:32 budget are 27 expense budget
13:34 is $1.6 billion and you can
13:36 see the more detailed
13:37 breakdown in the chart in my
13:41 testimony are 26 2 35 capita
13:42 lplan is $33 billion and again
13:45 you can see the detailed