New York City Council Committee on Finance Holds Fiscal Year 2027 Executive Budget Hearing on June 10, 2026

The New York City Council Committee on Finance, chaired by Linda Lee, held a day-long public hearing on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, to review the Fiscal Year 2027 Executive Budget. The hearing began at 9:30 AM and extended into the evening, featuring testimony from dozens of speakers representing a wide range of community organizations, unions, advocacy groups, and affected residents. Key themes included the need for increased funding for after-school programs, libraries, EMS pay parity, public housing preservation, immigrant legal services, and youth development initiatives. Council members expressed strong support for many of the requests and committed to fighting for funding during budget negotiations.

Public Comments & Testimony

• After-School Programs: Multiple speakers, including students and parents from Girls Inc. of Astoria and Manhattan Youth at MS 177 and Wagner Middle School, urged the council to restore funding for after-school programs that were not renewed by the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). They described the programs as life-changing and emphasized the importance of trusted providers and continuity for children's development.
• UFT and Paraprofessionals: Karen Alford, Mary Vicaro, and other United Federation of Teachers (UFT) representatives testified in support of the "Power Professional Respect Check" legislation to improve pay for paraprofessionals. They also requested continued funding for United Community Schools, the Teacher Center, and other UFT programs, citing their impact on student achievement and family support.
• Youth Justice and Alternatives to Incarceration: Representatives from Exalt Youth, Youth Justice Network, and other organizations called for increased funding for alternatives to incarceration (ATI) and reentry services, noting that these programs save the city money and reduce recidivism. They requested an additional $2.4 million in discretionary funding.
• Libraries: Speakers from the Queens Library Guild, NYC Plan, and young students testified in favor of allocating 0.5% of the city's expense budget to libraries. They noted that the executive budget's $526 million falls short of that goal and does not keep pace with inflation, leading to reduced programming, staffing, and infrastructure.
• EMS and FDNY: EMS officers and union leaders testified about a crisis in the workforce, with low pay leading to high turnover and long response times. They reported that EMTs start at $39,000 and that the average age of the workforce is 23. They urged pay equity and increased funding to address a projected 70% turnover rate within five years. Council members expressed strong support and committed to fighting for pay parity.
• Public Housing: Tenants and advocates from Safe Section 9, the Chelsea Public Housing Coalition, and others called for reallocation of $1.5 billion from HPD's PACT/RAD conversion fund to NYCHA Section 9 comprehensive modernization. They argued that privatization through PACT leads to harassment, displacement, and poor conditions, and that the money should instead be used for direct repairs to keep public housing public.
• Environmental and Parks: NYLCV, the Playfair Coalition, and others praised the baselining of $15 million for parks but urged additional funding for urban forest plan implementation and stormwater infrastructure. They also requested full funding for the remaining $8 million to retain 115 park staff.
• Education: Speakers from the Coalition for Equitable Education Funding, the Dignity in Schools Campaign, and parents of students with disabilities called for restoration and baselining of programs such as restorative justice, mental health continuum, SEED, and immigrant family communications. They also demanded increased investment in special education services and school accessibility.
• Immigrant Services: Multiple organizations, including CUNY Citizenship Now, the ICARE Coalition, and the New York Immigration Coalition, requested continued and increased funding for immigration legal services, adult literacy, and the NYC Benefits program. They highlighted the increased need due to federal policies and immigration enforcement.
• Queensway vs. Queenslink: A large number of transit advocates and residents testified against the $43 million allocation for the Queensway park project and in favor of the Queenslink proposal, which would combine rail transit and park space on the former Rockaway Beach Branch right-of-way. They argued that building a park now would preclude future rail reactivation and that Queenslink would provide much-needed north-south transit in a transit desert.
• Other Testimony: Additional testimony addressed funding for animal welfare, senior services, small business support, HIV prevention, domestic violence survivor housing, CUNY transportation, and the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities.

Discussion Items

• Council members engaged with many testifiers, asking questions and expressing support. Councilmember Brooks-Powers questioned EMS representatives about the impact of Peninsula Hospital's closure on Rockaway response times. Councilmember Dinowitz discussed DOE procurement issues with a vendor who alleged misconduct. Councilmember Wonf followed up on allegations of missing evidence in an SCI investigation. Councilmember Narcisse expressed support for teachers and EMS workers.
• Chair Lee and other members acknowledged the emotional weight of the testimony, particularly from young people and frontline workers, and committed to continued advocacy.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken, as this was an oversight hearing to gather public input for budget negotiations.
• Council leaders, including Speaker Menin and Finance Chair Lee, expressed strong support for EMS pay parity, library funding at 0.5%, and restoration of after-school program contracts.
• Several council members committed to pushing for increased funding for public housing preservation, alternatives to incarceration, and youth programs.
• The committee agreed to continue reviewing the concerns raised, including the DYCD contract award process and the Queensway/Queenslink issue, and to consider them in final budget discussions.
• The public was reminded that written testimony can be submitted within 72 hours of the hearing for inclusion in the record.