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Budget, Education & City Services
Community Board Five Response to the Mayor’s 2017 Preliminary Budget
Dear Mayor de Blasio:
Thank you in advance for considering the advisory opinion of our community board.
Community Board Five is aware of the current fiscal challenges in our city. We are cognizant of revenues and expenses and are frequently in support of efforts to obtain increased funding to support those investments and expenses most vital to our City.
Several months ago, our Board submitted capital and expense budget priorities to your office for consideration in the FY 2017 Preliminary Budget. While agency responses certainly are not fully on board with our desired responses, we are thankful for serious consideration of many of our requests. As the New York City Charter-created institution with some of the keenest insight into local conditions, we look forward to working with the new administration in fiscal prioritization.
Our district faces extreme above and below grade congestion, which creates health and safety problems for pedestrians, drivers and residents. At the same time, the city maintains programs and services most vital for our residents, particularly the elderly, homeless, and school-age children who work and spend time in our district. We believe that Manhattan Community District Five's success is critical to all New York City and we believe our budget priorities are suited to ensure that the needs of all within the community are addressed.
Department of Housing Preservation & Development
305201710C – Capital Priority #1
We encourage HPD to focus on supportive housing for extremely low- and low-income households; we appreciate funding for middle-income households as well.
305201730E – Expense Priority #8
We thank the Agency for its response.
Department of Education
305201702C – Capital Priority #2
We would appreciate additional clarity in the response regarding which parts are recommended for funding and which are not.
305201703C, 305201704C, 305201705C – Capital Priorities #3, #4, #5
We thank the Agency for its responses.
305201703E – Expense Priority #26
This priority isn't adequately addressed by the DoE response as we understand that nutrition is not within the BFSC purview.
Department of Transportation
305201711C, 305201712C, 305201713C – Capital Priorities #6, #7, #8
We thank the Agency for its responses.
305201728E – Expense Priority #16
We are appreciative that the Agency has responded to our long-time request for these improvements.
Transit Authority
305201714C, 305201715C – Capital Priorities #9, #10
305201731E, 305201732E – Expense Priorities #21, #24
We thank the Agency for its responses.
Department for the Aging
305201708C – Capital Priority #11
We thank the Agency for its response.
305201711E – Expense Priority #7
Given the shifting age demographics in the district, we encourage the Agency to reconsider increasing the funding for this request.
New York Public Library
305201701C – Capital Priority #12
We agree with the Agency that the city should fund this request
305201702E – Expense Priority #17
We thank the Agency for its response and for restoring six-day-a-week service.
Department of Cultural Affairs
305201709C – Capital Priority #13
We thank the Agency for its response.
Police Department
305201706C – Capital Priority CS
We thank the Agency for its response.
305201704E, 305201705E – Expense Priorities #9, #10
We encourage the Agency to reconsider increasing the funding for these requests.
Fire Department
305201707C – Capital Priority CS
305201706E – Expense Priority #19
We thank the Agency for its responses.
Office of Management and Budget
305201701E – Expense Priority #1
We thank the Agency for committing to increase funding for Community Boards.
Department of Homeless Services
305201707E, 305201710E, 305201708E, 305201709E – Expense Priorities #2, #3, #13, #27
We thank the Agency for its responses.
Department of Youth & Community Development
305201712E – Expense Priority #4
We believe that the funding requests is not addressed by the response and we reiterate our encouragement for the Agency to increase the budget for after-school programs.
305201713E – Expense Priority #11
We thank the Agency for its response and for committing to increase funding.
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
305201717E, 305201718E – Expense Priorities #5, #6
We encourage the Agency to reconsider increasing resources for both priorities.
Administration for Children's Services
305201714E – Expense Priority #12
We thank the Agency for its response.
Department of Small Business Services
305201715E – Expense Priority #14
We thank the Agency for its response.
Department of Buildings
305201716E – Expense Priority #15
We strongly encourage additional funding for this request reflecting the clear public safety issue, as illustrated by the recent crane collapse.
Department of Sanitation
305201722E, 305201723E, 305201724E – Expense Priorities #18, #20, #22
We encourage additional funding for these requests, reflecting the quality of life issues surrounding refuse collection and enforcement.
305201725E, 305201726E, 305201727E – Expense Priorities #29, #30, #33
We thank the Agency for its responses.
Department of Environmental Protection
305201719E, 305201720E, 305201721E – Expense Priorities #23, #28, #32
We thank the Agency for its responses.
Landmarks Preservation Commission
305201733E – Expense Priority #25
We thank the Agency for its response.
Department of Parks and Recreation
305201729E – Expense Priority #31
We thank the Agency for its response and strongly urge the City to continue funding.
Conclusion
Community Board Five appreciates the opportunity to comment on the FY 2017 Preliminary Budget. We look forward to seeing the Executive Budget and are hopeful that we will continue to see community board input incorporated into the final product.