Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, please place all electronic devices, all electronic devices to vibrate.

Mr.

Majority Leader, it's all yours.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the stated meeting of June thirtieth, twenty twenty-six.

I am Majority Leader Sean Abreu, and I'd like to thank you for joining us.

As a reminder, the core must be respected at all times.

If you would like to follow along, the agenda for today's meeting is posted on our website.

On behalf of the body, I welcome the members of the public who have joined us today during stated meetings.

Only members of the council may speak.

Members of the public shall remain silent.

If you wish to express your support of any remarks, you may make the silent approval gesture.

Thank you.

Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Aviles, Banks, Brewer, Brooks Powers.

Present, Caban, Present Della Rosa.

Here, Dinowitz.

Presented Epstein.

Present.

Farias.

Present Felder.

Felice.

Here.

Gennaro.

Here.

Ariola.

Present.

Gutierrez.

Presente.

Hanif.

Hankerson.

Here.

Hanks.

Present.

Hudson.

Present.

Joseph.

Here.

Krishna.

Here.

Lee.

Here.

Lewis.

Present.

Maloney.

Present.

Marte.

Present.

Melee.

Morano.

Here.

Narcis.

Present.

Nurse.

Ose.

Here.

Paladino.

Here.

Wrestler.

I'm here.

Riley.

Present.

Salam.

Present.

Justin Sanchez.

Here.

Pierina Sanchez.

Aki.

Santos Suoso.

I'm here.

Shulman.

Here.

Stevens.

Still here.

Thomas Henry.

Present.

Un.

Present.

Vernakoff.

Here.

Williams.

Present.

Wilson.

Here.

One.

I won.

Here.

Juan.

Here.

Juan.

Here.

Carr.

Present.

Felder.

Here.

Abre you.

Here.

Speaker Menon.

Here.

There's no invocation today, so I'd like to ask ask Councilmember Felice for the adoption of minutes.

Thank you.

I would like to make a motion that the minutes of the stated meeting, dated June 11th, 2026 be adopted as printed.

Messages and papers from the mayor.

None.

Communication from city, county, and borough offices.

Preconsidered M80 through preconsidered M82.

Referred to finance.

Petitions and communications.

None.

Land use call ups.

M83.

Thank you.

I'd like to ask the clerk to take a roll call vote on today's land use call-up.

Excuse me.

Alviol.

I vote aye.

Ariola.

I vote aye.

Aviles.

Aye.

Banks.

Aye.

Brewer.

Aye.

Brooks Powers.

Sure.

Caban.

Aye.

De la Rosa.

Aye.

Dinowitz.

Aye.

And Connacion.

Aye.

Epstein.

Yes.

Farias.

I would I.

Felder.

Aye.

Felice.

Aye.

Gennaro.

Aye.

Gutierrez.

Aye.

Hanif.

Hankerson.

Aye.

Hanks.

Aye.

Hudson.

Aye.

Joseph.

Aye.

Krishnan.

Aye.

Lee.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye.

Maloney.

Aye.

Marte.

Aye.

Melee.

Aye.

Morano.

Aye.

Narcis.

Aye.

Nurse.

Aye.

Ose.

Aye.

Paladino.

Aye.

Wrestler.

Aye.

Riley.

Aye.

Salam.

I vote aye.

Justin Sanchez.

Aye.

Barina Sanchez.

Aye.

Santos Woso.

Sorry, I.

Thank you.

Shulman.

Aye.

Stevens.

Aye.

Thomas Henry.

Aye.

On.

Aye.

Vernikov.

Aye.

Thank you.

Williams.

How about I?

Wilson.

Aye.

One.

Aye.

Thank you.

Wang.

Aye.

Zhuang.

I.

Brooks Powers.

Aye.

Thank you.

Carr.

Aye.

Abrayu.

Aye.

Speaker Menon.

Aye.

Today's land use call-ups are adopted by a vote of 51 in the affirmative and zero in the negative.

Thank you.

And I'll have communication from Speaker Julie Menon.

Good afternoon or now.

Good evening.

Everyone.

Happy budget day.

So first of all, I want to thank uh the our incredible finance team who have been here night after night after night.

For their amazing work during the budget process.

And I particularly want to thank all the council members, uh, particularly our finance chair, Linda Lee, members of the budget negotiating team, and council leadership.

Um I want to thank our finance director, Nathan Todd.

Thank you so much for your incredible work.

I want to thank my whole senior team, Migalina Camillo for her amazing work, Jonathan Schat, Simone Jones, Bob Tibberwell, John Tritt, special shout out to Paul Shimon and Olivia DeLuca.

Thank you so much.

This is a budget that secures the most ever capital and expense funding for the city council in its history, while also demonstrating at the same time prudent fiscal responsibility.

I want to briefly highlight a few transformative investments that we are doing in this budget that meaningfully tackle the affordability crisis.

With a substantial investment to sensibly expand housing vouchers, we are helping to keep thousands more families in their homes and out of shelters.

In addition to the investment, we reached a truly historic agreement on city FEPS with the administration.

And I just want to take a moment to talk about it.

They have agreed, something we've asked for since January, and I particularly want to thank Councilmember Pirina Sanchez for her leadership on this.

Thank you so much.

So we were able to get the administration to drop the lawsuit against the council, which is something that we were insisting on since January, and at the same time engage in a settlement where we will be voting today on a new bill sponsored by Councilmember Sanchez that will create a new cost containing structure for housing vouchers so that we ensure that we are housing vulnerable New Yorkers, but we're doing it in a way that is truly sustainable, and that is historic.

We also held the line on this expansion of the vouchers, and I want to thank all the council members who joined in holding the line on that.

We also expanded eligibility for fair fares to residents earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level, making public transportation more affordable for nearly 1.3 million working New Yorkers, whether they're taking the subway, the bus, or paratransit.

This is the largest expansion of fair fares in City Council history.

The council is also enhancing NYC kids' rise to provide a college savings account with 1,000 for every single public school kindergartner in New York City.

This is the largest college savings program that any city has ever done.

It can be used for vocational school, it can be used for a two-year community college, it can be used for a four-year college, and it is truly transformative because studies show that low-income children who have a college savings account are three times more likely to go to ongoing education.

And just as importantly, they are likely to earn almost double the wages, double the wages during the course of their lifetime as someone who does not have that college savings account.

If we truly want to tackle income inequality, this is one of the single best ways we can do so.

We also fought for programs that support mental health, swim safety, home-delivered meals.

We fought for our children to bolster their opportunities at a good education.

We fought for our seniors to help them age in place with dignity.

And we fought to fully fund our libraries to the highest ever levels.

I just want to repeat that.

This budget funds the libraries at our insistence to the highest levels ever.

And it also funds HPD's capital increase to build on our product project that we put out a couple weeks ago to build 100% affordable housing on some public libraries throughout the city.

Because our city is also the world's cultural capital, we're investing 20 million more in cultural institutions.

And to provide more people with a path to justice, we fully restored funding for a range of legal service providers, including immigrant legal service providers, which is so critically important, particularly at this time.

To support the management of clean parks, we are restoring $14.4 million dollars in baseline funding.

And to support black home ownership, we've secured more than $5 million in funding for deed theft prevention programs and legal counseling.

Even with these life-changing investments, we ensured that our city is on a firm financial footing, and we're able to push for more funds for the Rainy Day Fund, something that we've been doing since day one of this budget negotiation.

And so I'm thrilled to say that an additional $350 million has been set aside for the Rainy Day Fund.

Because it is our duty to the people of our city to deliver a balanced and responsible budget, not just for next year, but for many years to come.

To further the spirit of good governance, our adopted budget includes a record 75 council terms and conditions that advance transparency by mandating agency reporting associated with spending.

Of the 11 brand new council terms and conditions, we've covered important topics like child care vouchers, fair fairs, PACT, PHPT conversions, OTI citywide contracts, and clubhouses and many other items.

This budget is truly a win for New Yorkers who deserve affordability, stability, and opportunity, and a government devoted to delivering all three.

So I just want to say congratulations to all the council members, to all our staff at the city council on this historic win.

We have a few more things to celebrate.

I want to wish an early happy birthday to Councilmember Linda Lee, whose birthday is on the 3rd of July.

I know she forgot she's working so hard, she forgot it was her birthday.

And to Councilmember Amanda Fatias, whose birthday is on the 9th.

And we have one more birthday to acknowledge.

This Saturday, oh, Simca is very excited about the birthday.

Okay, thank you, Zimka.

Thank you.

Um, so we have one more birthday to acknowledge our nation's birthday.

This Saturday will mark 250 years since the second Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence.

I hope that as we spend a day off with our families, we also think about the meaning of this milestone, and that's up to us to decide where our nation will go from here.

This past weekend, I was proud to join many council members as we participated in the Pride March.

We march right past to Stonewall Inn, where 57 years ago, LGBTQIA plus New Yorkers firmly defended their right to love.

The council stands with a queer community and we will continue to protect the civil rights of all.

Ahead of tomorrow, July is Disability Pride Month, where we recognize the countless contributions that disabled residents, past and present, have made to our city.

As New Yorkers, we truly know that diversity is our strength, including diversity of ability.

Finally, I'd like to welcome the government advocacy fellows from the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation.

I think who are here.

Hello, fellows.

Thank you so much for joining us.

There's no better way to learn about city government than to see it up close and personal for yourself.

So thank you to Councilmember Dinowitz for providing this opportunity.

Now let's move on to our stated agenda.

First, we're going to vote on a hundred and twenty-five point eight billion dollar budget for fiscal year 2027.

Next, we will vote on the following finance items.

Preconsidered resolution sponsored by Councilmember Lee, approving the new designation and changes in the designation of certain organizations to receive funding in the expense budget.

Preconsidered resolutions, also sponsored by Council Member Lee to establish that the interest rate be 6% per annum for fiscal year 2027 for non-payment of taxes on properties with an assessed value of up to $250,000, 9% for properties with an assessed value of more than $250,000, but less than or equal to $450,000, and 16% for properties with an assessed value of more than $450,000.

A preconsidered resolution sponsored also by Council Member Lee to establish that the interest rate be 2.5% per annum for fiscal year 2027 for certain properties for which owner has entered into an installment payment agreement with the Department of Finance or payment of delinquent property taxes, assessments, or other charges.

Today we will also vote on the following pieces of legislation.

Resolution 69, sponsored by Councilmember Tiffany Caban, would oppose President Trump's executive order restricting protections for transgender students and call on the New York State Department of Education to ensure that all schools in New York City continue to uphold policies that protect the rights and dignity of transgender and gender nonconforming students regardless of federal directives.

Thank you to staff, Elizabeth Arts.

Resolution 143-A, sponsored by Councilmember Kevin Riley, would call on the New York State Legislature to pass and the governor to sign.

Legislation that would create unlimited transfers within the two-hour period of paying the MTA subway or bus fare for pay paride users.

Thank you to Sierra Townsend, Theodore Miller, Kevin Katowski, and John Basile.

To celebrate the amazing 2026 champion New York Knicks, we are passing three resolutions.

Yay.

Thank you.

We've got this side of the room is much better cheering section than this side of the room.

I will just say okay.

Pre-considered resolution, sponsored by myself, would celebrate Nixon 5 as the New York Knicks won the 2026 NBA Championship.

Yay, okay.

Okay.

Pre-considered resolution sponsored by Councilmember Virginia Maloney would declare June 13th as New York Knicks Day in the city to celebrate the contributions of the world class basketball team to the city's culture and civic down of the chamber.

Identity.

Thank you to Regina Paul.

And then preconsidered resolution sponsored by our Deputy Speaker, Dr.

Nantasha Williams, would call for famed New York City locations to be ceremonially named for one year in honor of our Knicks.

Fifth Avenue Manhattan as Nixon 5 Fifth Avenue.

Broadway, Manhattan as Brunson Way, Victory Boulevard on Staten Island as Captain Clutch Boulevard, Knickerbocker Avenue in Brooklyn as Alvarado Avenue.

Times Square, Manhattan as Townsquare, Queens Boulevard and Queens as Heart Boulevard, and the Brooklyn Bridge as Bridges Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge as Ananobi Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge as Coach Brown Bridge, and lastly, the Bronx River as Breen River.

Thank you to Christopher Sarturi and Patrick Mulvahill.

In honor of the United States of America's 250th anniversary, we will also pass a slate of resolutions.

Pre-considered resolution sponsored by Councilmember Jim Gennaro would commemorate the pivotal political and military role of New York City in the birth of the United States 250 years ago.

Thank you to Regina Paul.

Pre-considered resolutions sponsored by Councilmember Christopher Marte would celebrate the historical documents that contributed to the birth of the United States of America and are on display at the New York Public Library as part of the nation's 250th anniversary events.

Thank you to Regina Paul.

Pre-considered resolutions sponsored by Councilmember Rita Joseph would call on the New York State legislature to pass and the governor to sign legislation to amend the education law to require instruction on the history, contributions, and experiences of people of African descent in public schools.

Thank you to Chloe Rivera.

Resolution 15, sponsored by Councilmember Joanne Ariola, would declare July 2nd annually in the City of New York as Freedom Day to commemorate the anniversary of the vote of the 2nd Continental Congress to declare independence from Great Britain in 1776.

Thank you to Regina Paul.

And resolution 5, sponsored by myself and minority leader David Carr would commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

Thank you to Regina Paul.

Pre-considered introduction, sponsored by Majority Leader Sean Abreu, would rename 103 thoroughfares and public places in our city.

Thank you to Chris Sarturi, Patrick Mulvahill, Michael Sherman, and Owen Kotowski.

Introduction 859-A, sponsored by Councilmember Gail Brewer, would specify the process to be used by the Department of Records and Information Services to comply with existing law, requiring the posting of biographical information for the subjects of name changes of streets and parks when no biographical information can be found in the legislative record.

Thank you to Chris Sarturi, Patrick Mulvahill, Michael Sherman, and Owen Kutowski.

Introduction 92A, also sponsored by Councilmember Brewer, would permit DOT and the Department of Sanitation and any department designated by DSNY to place a sticker, no larger than 8.5 by 11 inches to be specific, on the window of any motor vehicle as a method of enforcing alternate side parking rules.

Thank you to Morgan Barrett.

Introduction 580A, sponsored by Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez, would create an office of child care and early childhood education to work with the mayor in planning and implementing child care for any child who resides in the city at no cost to parent, stepparent, guardian, or relative.

Thank you to Julia Goldsmith Pinkham.

Introduction 31A, sponsored by Majority Leader Abreu, would expand the categories of establishments that can be designated by DSNY to be subject to requirements regarding separation and disposal of organic waste.

It would also require DSNY to designate additional covered establishments by December 1st, 2026.

Thank you to Morgan Barrett and Audrey Saan.

Introduction 15-A, also sponsored by Majority Leader Abrea would prohibit DOHMH from acquiring a subsequent background check of an individual for the purposes of working in a center-based child care program if DOHMH has already completed a background check, unless the individual has not been employed by a child care provider in the city for more than 180 consecutive days in the past five years.

A child care program requests a background check, or a background check is otherwise required by law or necessary for purposes of safety.

Thank you to Julia Goldsmith Pinkham.

Introduction 929-A, sponsored by Deputy Whip Elsie Ancanacion, would require the police commissioner to publish a transparency report on the New York Police Department's plan to address and contain the risk of physical obstruction, physical injury, intimidation, and interference at entrances to and exits from certain educational facilities in the city, including through the use of security perimeters.

Thank you to Rachel Codrero, Jessica Boulay, and Josh Kingsley.

Introduction 553-A, sponsored by Councilmember Oswald Felice, would require that the Department of Small Business Services or another agency as designated by the mayor, establish a small retail business security system to provide financial assistance to owners of small retail businesses that would reduce the cost of purchasing and installing security system technology.

Thank you to Tyler Walls and Rebecca Barilla.

Introduction 910-8, sponsored by Councilmember Althea Stevens would repeal the requirement originally set in local law 75 of 2009 that as of July 2026, all security grills installed in group B or M buildings permit visibility of at least 70% of the area covered by the grill.

Thank you to Tyler Walls, Rebecca Barilla, Austin Malone, Claudia Bennett, William Eck, Jerk Spencer, and Jose Conde.

And lastly, and certainly last but not least, pre-considered introduction, sponsored by Councilmember Pierre Sanchez, would establish a new rental assistant voucher program for families and individuals, which will be subject to appropriation and operated by HPD.

To be eligible for the program, households would have a total income that does not exceed 50% of the AMI, as well as meet additional eligibility requirements based on the type of shelter or housing in which they reside.

Thank you to Andre Vasquez, Samita Jeshmuk, Nicholas Connell, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Julia Haramis.

Okay, that was it.

Thank you for your attention.

I'm gonna turn it back over to our majority leader.

Thank you, Speaker Menon.

We will now move into discussion of general orders beginning with Councilmember Pirina Sanchez, followed by Narcis.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

My apologies.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

Before I begin, I want to thank my colleagues, especially Speaker Menon for your leadership holding the line on this historic win for low-income New Yorkers in our city.

I want to thank the Progressive Caucus for uplifting this priority to the council's leadership for holding the line and the all the council members to advocates for never giving up on New Yorkers that they represent, and to the mayor and his team for staying at the table and getting this to the finish line.

I'm gonna pull it, Tiffany, come on and stand up.

Today's settlement, see she even shows me how today's settlement, the fiscal year 27 budget, and this legislation represent a historic agreement that will finally expand housing vouchers for new for New Yorkers facing homelessness.

This is a historic win for vulnerable New Yorkers.

We're expanding access responsibly, controlling costs, and beginning to shift the Titanic, moving the city away from costly shelter reliance and toward permanent homes.

Because the status quo does not work.

Our city must stop paying more for worse outcomes.

It costs $54 a day to keep a family housed with a City Fabs voucher compared to $270 a day for a family shelter bed.

And behind those numbers are children and families, 70% of shelter residents are families with children, thousands of babies, 20,000 babies born in shelter just last year.

With 300 million dollars committed across fiscal year 27 and 28, the new program established by intro 966 will reach New Yorkers excluded from the current City Fabs program, including households in non-DHS shelters, meaning runaway and homeless youth, families displaced by fires or vacate orders and justice involved New Yorkers.

And we'll support eviction prevention for income eligible tenants and rent stabilized homes.

There will be no work requirement for newly eligible New Yorkers.

Homelessness itself is enough of a barrier.

And this is responsible governance.

Funding will be distributed between shelter exits and eviction prevention administered.

Please wrap up.

We're creating this program because the choice is not between compassion and fiscal discipline.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Narcis, followed by Hudson.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Speaker Menon, for listening when it comes to CitiFeb and holding the life for real.

I truly believe that folks believe, I mean, belong in the apartment, not in shelter.

Shelter should be a transitional process.

So thank you for that.

And thank you for all your leadership, your team that responded.

And when I called because I go crazy when people are calling me and answering the necrites, it is very important at the time is a challenging time in immigration.

I'm happy for that too.

And of course, the street code naming in my district is so important.

Those are folks that work all their lives.

They need to be recognized.

John Lender ran the legendary Lindy's pork store on Avenue Inn for over 60 years.

The same store the father opened back in 1958 and never let the neighbor go without, you know, supporting them.

Never let anyone go hungry.

That's very important.

Fred Wilkins spent almost 40 years answering the call as a volunteer in a flatland volunteer ambulance corps, training EMTs and saving lives right here in our community.

So thank you.

Audrey Dust taught at PS91 for 32 years and never stopped giving after her retirement retirement.

50 years volunteering at Down State Medical Center.

Thousands of hats knit by hands for the kids in the community.

And I want to take a moment with the next one because Gianna Gambino, mom is here.

Her sisters and her friends are here to support.

And I want to say thank you because they took the pen and they transformed it into helping the community with folks that are going through a cancer process.

She was very young, but she never stopped fighting for others.

She understood the mission and the vision to help one another as a registered nurse, seeing people suffering with cancer, seeing that young woman doing that.

It is amazing.

Never too early to be a leader in a healer and it's sure.

So well deserved.

And I want to stop right here to say thank you to all my colleagues who fought hard for this budget with the speaker and of Chile.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Hudson, followed by Banks.

Thank you.

I would like to take a moment to recognize the four individuals and communities in District 35 that we're honoring in today's co-naming bill.

Edith Mott Young, Bishop Carl E.

Williams, Reverend Clinton M.

Miller, and the Panamanian community of Brooklyn.

These co-namings are about more than street signs.

They ensure that the people and communities who help shape our neighborhoods are permanently reflected in the places they call home.

Edith Mott Young devoted her life to education and uplifting young people, leaving a lasting impact on generations of Brooklyn students and black women as one of the 22 founders of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, members of Delta Sigma Theta are with us in the balcony today.

Bishop Carl E.

Williams was a beloved faith leader whose ministry and community service touched countless lives in my district and beyond.

Reverend Clinton M.

Miller was a pillar of Clinton Hill, whose decades of leadership at Brown Memorial Baptist Church extended far beyond its walls.

He was a trusted advocate, mentor, and voice for justice, whose legacy continues to shape the community today.

And I also want to recognize the designation of Little Panama along Franklin Avenue.

For generations, Crown Heights has been home to a thriving Panamanian community whose culture, businesses, and traditions have enriched our borough.

This conaming is a celebration of that enduring legacy and an acknowledgement that their contributions are an essential part of Brooklyn's story.

I'd also like to thank Panamanian Consulate General Roosevelt Thayer, who was being who was here today, Viva Panama.

And I'd like to thank the families, advocates, and community members who worked to make these long overdue recognitions possible.

Thank you.

Councilmember Banks, followed by Epstein.

Thank you, Majority Leader, and uh thank you to the speaker for her leadership as well.

Today we have the opportunity to honor the two incredible women whose lives were defined by service, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to others.

Adonna Joaquina Jones and Deidra Cheatham, I believe their families are in the balcony today.

Uh Donna Joaquina Jones devoted her life to the pink houses community center as a director of the Lewis H.

Pink Houses Community Center.

She created opportunities for young people, supported families, and became someone countless of residents could depend on.

She believed every child deserved a chance to succeed, and she spent her entire life making sure that they had one.

Her legacy lives on through the generations of young people.

She encouraged and mentored and inspired.

Now Deidra Cheatham shared the same heart for service.

Whether she was serving her New York City, serving in the New York City Council, or working with community organizations, or advocating for survivors of sexual assault, or helping families in need, Deedra always showed up for people.

She led with kindness, treated everyone with respect, and made a difference in both big and small ways.

So many people remembered not just what she accomplished, but how she made them feel.

They gave their time, their energy, and their hearts to helping others, and they left behind legacies that will continue to inspire.

Today we prepare to permanently honor them through these street co-naimings, and we are ensuring that their future generations will know their names and understand the lasting impact they made to our community.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Epstein, followed by Brewer.

All right, good evening.

Uh, want to thank the speaker and the finance chair for really this historic moment.

Uh we think about what we did around uh FEPS and the thousands of families that we're going to protect.

For NYCHA to have to get the 6,000 units that are offline right now, to get another 1,100 back online, the supportive housing unit, the increased funding in DCWP, containerization, fair fares, uh workers' justice initiative, pet food pantry, spay neuter, time and time again.

This council stood up for working New Yorkers, stood up for affordability, and this budget reflects those values.

This is an important day in the city to say that we care deeply about this city.

We care about people who live here, and this council is fighting for them.

This is a really important moment.

And I want to thank the speaker again for her leadership.

To know that a budget like this reflects our values, that we stood up for everyday New Yorkers and will continue to.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Would like to remind folks that have for whatever reason you can't get your marks done through general orders.

You can do it during your the time that you vote.

So if I cut you off, I'm sorry about that.

Just make sure you bring it up later on if you need to.

Councilmember Brewer, followed by Councilmember Brooks Powers.

Thank you very much.

Intro 9 to a alternate side of the street stickers.

In 1987, sanitation started placing day glow green stickers on vehicles with repeated alternate side of the street violations.

The council banned them in 2012.

I probably voted for that stupid bill.

And people made the following calculation.

In April of this year, the sanitation department estimated 500,000 cars violated street cleaning regulations in 1,200 routes every single week.

That meant that 3,000 miles was not cleaned.

People need to move their damn car.

And so I want to thank Speaker Menon, Sanitation Chair Sanchez, for their support.

Morgan Barrett, Joanna Castro, Andrew Velasquez, Jeff Baker, and for my office, Cynthia Hornick and Shula Pooder.

I do want to thank the Sanitation Department also.

Number two, 859A.

This has to do with omnibus street naming.

We have a long history.

We want to make sure people know about it.

And in 2023, the council passed my local law 104 requiring the State of City Department of Records and Information Services, Doris to create an interactive digital map of these co-namings.

But between 2002 and 2003, I think some of you were alive then.

More than 400 streets were co-named for first responders killed on 9-11.

The speaker and I went to an awful lot of funerals then, and the city lacked their biographical information to update the map.

To the credit of Doris and former Commissioner Pauline, too.

They found all 400 people, wrote up their bios, and put them through the council.

That's what this uh law does.

It says this, these are 400 people, they're ready to be recorded.

I want to thank Council Chris, Centauri, and Senior Legislative Patrick Moore for their work.

I just want to also mention Cecile Richards.

Cecile Richards Way is one of the considering co-signing at 83rd Street in Central Park West, head of Planned Parenthood, daughter of Anne Richards, Governor.

Thank you.

Councilmember Brooks Powers, followed by Maloney.

Thank you.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank my colleague, Councilmember Hudson, for sponsoring the co-name for my SORA founder, Edith Matt Young, and recognizing her impactful life, not only to the Brooklyn community, but really across the world.

And so I'm really excited that I get to vote on this street code name for Masoras and Brooklyn.

So thank you for that.

Thank you, Councilmember Brooks Powers.

Council Member Maloney, followed by Hankerson.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

I'm proud to introduce three street co-namings honoring people and institutions that have shaped our east side community.

The first Jewish Community Relations Council Way will be at 2nd Avenue and East 47th Street, next to Daghamerskald Plaza.

JCRC New York has built relationships across New York's Jewish community and worked for a more interconnected city for all ethnic and religious groups for 50 years.

Its headquarters once sat just south of the plaza, making it the organization's local park and a frequent site of rallies, protests, and press conferences it organized or supported.

The second corrects an existing sign at East 67th Street and Lexington Avenue, adding the rank patrolman to honor Kenneth Keller of the 19th Precinct, an officer who fell in the line of duty, ensuring that his service and sacrifice are properly recognized.

And third, honors Joan Davidson at Lexington and 75th Street, the corner where she last lived.

A devoted philanthropist, Davidson chaired the New York State Council on the Arts in the 1970s and served as the state park commissioner in the late 1990s, leaving a lasting mark on our state's culture and parks.

I'm honored to bring these co-namings forward, and I also want to recognize and congratulate our very first intern, Key, on graduating both from college and from our office.

We're incredibly proud of these milestones and grateful for her contributions.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Hankerson, followed by Stevens.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

Today is a proud day for our parks, our communities, and every parky and park advocate who keeps this city thriving.

In this budget, we restored and secured additional funding for green thumb, tree stump removal, tree planting, urban park rangers, recreation staff, and our beloved PEP officers.

These are not just line items.

These are the people who open our parks, care for our trees, keep our recreation centers active, support our gardens, protect our public spaces, and make sure New Yorkers can use the parks they love.

For the past few years, after every budget dance, the council parks and advocates have had to leave saying we secured the jobs for another year, take a rest, and get ready to do it all over again.

But not this year.

This year, we are proud to have accomplished a historic budget resulting in a 29.1 million dollar baseline, which is so much greater than breathing a temporary sigh of relief.

Together as a city, we are building a stronger foundation.

So to every parking who is ever questioned whether your city cares for you, let this be the marker that demonstrates that we understand you are voluble.

Your work is seen, your labor is appreciated, and that your city deems you as essential.

This is a major step, but we are not done.

We will not let up until we get to the 1%.

Thank you.

Councilmember Stevens, followed by Gutierrez.

Good afternoon.

Today I'm proud and honored to have the support of a majority of my colleagues in passing of 910A.

As member of council, it's our responsibility to protect the small businesses that are the backbone of New York City's economy.

They create jobs, provide essential services, and help to find the creator and characters of our neighborhood.

When the government creates policies that are unintentionally placed unnecess unnecessary burdens on those businesses, it is also our responsibility to correct them.

That is exactly what we are doing today.

An unnecessary financial burden on business owners across the city by requiring many of them to replace security grills that were already safe, secure, or fully functional.

For some businesses, those replacements would have cost exceeded 10,000.

At this time, our small business continue to face rising rent costs, inflation increasing operating costs, and government should not be adding unnecessary expenses that threaten their abilities to succeed.

Intro 910A repels an outdated mandate that while continuing to allow businesses owners to maintain safe, secure storefronts.

More importantly, it demonstrates that this council is listening to the current concerns of our small businesses, communities, and taking meaningful action to support them.

I want to thank my colleague and special shout out to Chanel Thomas Henry, who chaired the hearing, my staff, the bids, all my colleagues who supported this legislation.

Your partnerships made today's vote possible.

So every small business that across the five boroughs, this vote sends a clear message as the council is committed to reducing unnecessary burdens, supporting economic opportunities, and ensuring that New York City remains a place where your business can grow and thrive.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Gutierrez, followed by Calan.

Thank you so much, Majority Leader.

I'm really excited to turn the chapter on a very exciting package of bills.

I think this is the last bill part of that original package, codifying the mayor's office of child care to help us as the city get to a true universal child care program that we can all be proud of.

I want to thank every single person who was a sponsor three times that we reintroduced it, including uh Councilmember Kevin Riley from the Bronx.

I want to thank, of course, Speaker Julie Menon, who has been a partner on all things universal child care since before becoming a speaker.

And this is a really really exciting opportunity because not only are we going to be able to say to hold the city accountable when it comes to child care, child care deserts, the way that they are supported, the way that we support providers, but it's it's going to stand the test of time, right?

Um it doesn't matter who is at City Hall, the mayor's office of child care will be there to work with every single agency necessary, city and state to make it happen, to make it accessible for every single New Yorker, regardless of immigration status and regardless of income.

New York has a real opportunity to lead, and I'm so excited that we get to be a part of that council that is doing that.

Um, very quickly, I want to thank my whole uh legislative team, um, everyone that helped us get here.

Um, I want to thank my former chief of staff, Anya Lair, who I joked with her and said she was not pregnant when we reintroduced it, and now she's had her baby now that universal child care plan is passed.

So congrats to her, yes.

Um, and of course, I want to thank all of my colleagues who have joined us at all the rallies, to all the providers who have come to testify, um, who are very much leaning on us to help them get to dignified wages and dignified benefits.

We are still in that struggle.

Sigimocha, but I want to thank everyone here who has showed up for working families, and that's it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Calang, followed by Morano.

Thank you.

Uh, I plan to reserve my comments on the budget for during that vote regarding intro 929.

I I continue to hold deep reservations that I had for intro 175B that this amended bill would silence dissent and add to the federal government's assault on freedom of speech that still stands.

Uh, also important to note that I think intro 55 intro 553 duplicates an existing underutilized state program for cameras for small businesses.

Uh, and I do want to take the moment to thank all of the dozens and dozens of staffers that make uh a budget possible, and and thank you to my team as well.

Councilmember Morano, followed by Mealy.

Thank you, majority leader.

I know I don't often spend much time talking about street namings, especially on a day when we're considering so many important pieces of legislation.

Uh, but I hope you'll indulge me for just a moment because today's package, intro 859A, includes two street namings that mean an extraordinary amount to me and to the community that I represent.

One honors Dorothy Day, a woman whose compassion, faith, and commitment to serving others, uh changed countless lives.

It's fitting that her image hangs here in City Hall overlooking the staircase that so many of us walk each day.

It's a quiet reminder that public service is ultimately about serving others.

And the other honors a young man gone far too soon, uh John Hudson Dilgen, a remarkable young man who lived with an unimaginable pain because of epidermolosis belosa, yet never allowed his condition to define him.

Instead, he dedicated his life to giving hope to others, advancing research, and showing all of us what courage and resilience truly look like.

These two Staten Islanders lived a century apart, and they led very different lives, but they shared something profound.

They made our borough, our city, and our world better simply by the way they lived.

If sainthood is ultimately for the church to decide, I can certainly say that in the eyes of so many Staten Islanders, these are two people whose lives reflected extraordinary grace, compassion, and selflessness.

I want to sincerely thank all of my colleagues for supporting these street namings and helping make sure their legacies will live on for generations to come.

Long after we're all gone, New Yorkers will pass these signs, ask who these people were, and learn their stories, and that's a powerful thing.

Today we're forever memorializing not just names, but lives of service, compassion, courage, and hope.

It's a privilege to have played a small part in that, and I'm deeply grateful to all of you for making that possible.

Thank you.

Councilor Melee, followed by Avilez.

Thank you.

I want to thank the speaker for her leadership with this budget.

I want to thank all the budget team for doing such a great job.

And I just want to thank all my community for old street naming we just had last Saturday, the co-naming of the Southeast Corner of Rochester Avenue and Lincoln Place as HL, Apostolic Mecca Way.

I want to thank Apostle Yui L.

Rogers, Reverend Herbert Dawtree, Teamster President, President Ford, District Leader Anthony T.

Jones for coming out that day.

This co-naming is for more than 80 years.

The Greater Bible Way Temple has been a cornerstone of Crown Heights, located on Rochester Avenue for over three decades.

This church has been more than just a place of worship.

It has been a place of refuge, service, and community care.

The church has consistently met the real needs of the community.

Its Bible Way Learning Center also educated local children for decades, helping to shape professionals who continue to come back every year.

This institution has uplifted generations through both faith and action, offering spiritual guidance alongside practical support.

The co-namer co-naming of RL Apostolic Mecca Way reflects its legacy as a gathering place and a beacon of hope for the community it has served so faithfully.

And I want to thank you for co-naming uh Reverend Clinton M.

Millerway.

He has been a pillar of the community.

I know it's not in my district.

He has really did so much for us, and I want to thank Elam.

They renamed his borough of Brooklyn, Apostolic McKinsey Way.

And he has been a leader in our community.

Thank you.

Councilman Avilas, followed by Thomas Henry.

Thank you, colleagues.

Today I'm proud to bring for bring four street co-namings to vote that honor the leaders in history of District 38.

First, we honor Maria Interlandi Reno, the beloved principal from PS124, and her commitment to inclusive education.

We also celebrate the life and work of Josephine Messicotte Brown, the executive director of the New York Memory Center, who led the nation's first early intervention and support program for people diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia.

We also honor Paolo Pesce, an Italian immigrant and proud Benson Hearst resident who opened La Bella Marketplace, a family-owned market that is the hub for the community.

Finally, on the Battle of Brooklyn's 250th anniversary, we celebrate Red Hook His Red Hook's history by honoring Fort Defiance, a key site in the American Revolutionary Revolutionary War, and the terminus for the Lenape Trail Trail Leader known as Red Heck Lane.

I want to thank the family and friends and community members that led the charge to honor our district's history and community leaders.

Thank you.

Councilmember Thomas Henry, followed by Else.

Thank you.

Today I am honored to recognize three individuals whose names will live on through District 21.

The Honorable Jimmy Smith was an Army veteran, retired transit worker, former district leader, and community leader who served as a member of the East Elmhurst Corona Civic Association, the chair of Elmcore Youth and Adult Activities, and also served as chair of Community Board 3 and its budget committee, where he served until his passing at the ripe age of 95.

Grace v.

Lawrence was a pillar throughout District 21, not only serving on numerous boards throughout the district, but rather as a founding member of so many institutions throughout my district, including the Langston Hughes Library Action Committee, Neighborhood Housing Services of Northern Queens, the Jerome Hardeman Senior Daycare Center, and the Louis Armstrong House Museum.

She tirelessly worked throughout the community until passing just days before her 99th birthday.

And last but certainly not least, I would like to honor the life of a young soul taken far too early by a drunk driver.

Donica Cook was taken from us exactly 10 years ago today.

She was a young woman whose life was just beginning, and she brought so much to so many.

And since her passing, her mom, Julianne, started a foundation to raise awareness regarding reckless driving.

So she took that tragedy and turned it into a fight to fight for others so they would not have to suffer such a tragedy.

So today, in honor of the 10-year anniversary of her passing, I want to say to her mom, the fight has been long, but it has come in time, and she will always be remembered throughout our community.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Alsay, followed by Felice.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

I want to speak about a street codenaming that's actually not in my district.

It's in Councilmember Joseph's district for Theodore Teddy Van.

Uh Teddy Van was a Grammy Award-winning writer, producer, and humanitarian.

He wrote the 1960s hit Loop De Loop for Johnny Thunder and with a Grammy for his song The Power of Love Slash Love Power, a hit for Luther Van Roth in 1991.

He had over 140 songs registered at Broadcast Music Incorporated, and he participated in a number of music projects, including Tales of the Dixie Drifter, which featured Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Sam Cook, and Bob Dylan.

I really want to shout out Councilmember Joseph for the street co-naming.

I was surprised to see it on this agenda because this is my grandfather.

So thank you very much, Councilmember Joseph.

Anyone else signed up to seek for general orders?

Did I miss anyone for general orders?

All right.

I see Councilmember Phillies may have stepped out, so he'll get to his remarks later.

Report of special committees.

None.

Reports of standing committees.

Report of the committee on education, intro 15A, background checks.

Amended and coupled on general orders.

Intro 580A, Office of Childcare and Early Childhood Education.

Amended and coupled.

Report of the Committee on Finance, preconsidered Reso 529, transparency resolution.

Coupled on general orders.

Preconsidered Reso 530 through preconsidered Rosal 533 interest rate for non-payment of taxes.

Coupled.

Preconsidered Reserve 534.

And preconsidered Rosal 535, base percentage and base proportion.

Coupled.

Expense revenue contract budget fiscal year 2027.

Coupled.

Executive Capital Budget Fiscal Year 2027.

Coupled.

Coupled.

Preconsidered M80 and preconsidered Reso 544.

And preconsidered M81 and preconsidered Reso 545, budget modifications.

Coupled.

Preconsidered M82 and preconsidered Rosal 546, fixing the tax rate.

Coupled.

Report of the Committee on Housing and Buildings.

Preconsidered intro 966 rental assistance voucher program.

Coupled on general orders with a message of necessity.

Report of the Committee on Land Use LU 67 to 69 and LU 71 through 77, various applications.

Approve of the modifications and referred to the City Planning Commission pursuant to Section 197-D of the New York City Charter.

LU 70 monitor point.

Coupled to be filed pursuant to letter of withdrawal.

Report of the Committee on Parks and Recreation, Intro 859A, Street Name Biographical Information.

Amended and coupled on general orders.

Preconsidered Intro 956, naming of 103 thoroughfares and public places.

Coupled on general orders.

Report of the Committee on Public Safety, Intro 929A, and YPD security perimeters.

Amended and coupled on general orders.

Report of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, Intro 31A, Commercial Organic Waste.

Amended and coupled.

Intro 92A, alternate side parking enforcement.

Amended and coupled.

Report of the Committee on Small Business Intros 553A and 910A.

Small business security systems.

Amended and coupled, I'd now ask the clerk to take a roll call vote on all the items coupled on today's general orders calendar.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Colleagues, please remember to disclose any conflicts before you begin voting.

Your disclosure forms are on the blue sheets on your desk.

Aye.

Thank you.

Alvey bowl.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that uh the New York City Police Department is funded in the budget we are adopting, and my business associate is associated with that entity.

Uh permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

First, I want to thank uh Mayor Mamdani and Speaker Menon, along with Chair Lee and OMB staff, the city council finance team for all their hard work in reaching this budget agreement.

In my first year as a city council member, I am proud to support a budget that puts the needs of everyday New Yorkers first.

While there's room for continued progress, this budget is stepped forward in our efforts to make New York City more affordable for working families.

I will always fight for the East Bronx to get our fair share.

During the budget process, we stood firm with my city council colleagues to ensure we pass the balanced budget without additional tax increases on hardworking Bronx families and homeowners.

I advocated for funding initiative to combat food insecurity, support older adults, increase opportunities for young people, and protect our immigrant communities.

We prioritize funding much needed capital improvements to our public schools, libraries, and parks.

In the East Bronx communities I represent, housing and security is a top concern.

That's why I'm particularly excited that we have secured a historic agreement to expand housing voucher access for New Yorkers facing eviction and homelessness.

We are also putting additional investment towards supporting homeowners facing rising costs and struggling to keep their homes.

I must say, however, that a commitment for pay parity for EMT workers and pay increases for DOE paraprofessionals is not apparent in this budget.

As chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, I remain committed to advocate for pay parity improvements for these vital city workers.

Today I'm proud to vote for a budget that takes strides towards addressing the needs and priorities of hardworking Bronx families and New York City families.

I look forward to continuing to work with Speaker Numenen, my city council colleagues, and the administration to build on the strong foundation of this budget in the years to come.

I vote aye on all.

Ariola.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the New York City Department of Sanitation is funded in the budget, and we are that we are adopting, and my son is associated with that entity.

Permission granted.

There are a lot of good things in this budget, and it's a shame that this was tainted by the mayor's betrayal and ideological demands.

Demands which put all New Yorkers in harm's way and will only lead the city down a path to ruin.

His refusal to fund the fifth firefighter in our engine companies to adequately man our police force and to raise the pay of our EMS workers among so many other things while overfunding his self-serving politically motivated agencies, projects, agencies, and projects is unacceptable, and to be completely honest, downright dangerous.

Not surprisingly, the mayor put ideology over reality in this budget, and for those reasons, I will vote no on intro 31A, 92A, Reso 529, Reso 530, 531, 532, preconsidered resos 534, and 535, preconsidered resos 539, 540, and M69, preconsidered Reso 543, M74, pre-considered Reso 544, and M80, pre-considered reso 545, and M81, as well as preconsidered Reso 546 and M82, and I on all the rest.

Clerks, you get that.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Aviles.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council that um Uprows and the New York City Department of Education and Parts and Recreation are funded in this budget that we are adopting.

And I or my child is respectively, and sibling are associated with these entities.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Since being elected to the city council, I have championed the idea of budget justice.

That by turning away from the status quo and austerity budgeting, we can actually fund the services poor and working New Yorkers need by focusing on dismantling economic inequities and shifting funding away from ineffective and harmful programs.

I've been proud to work with the Progressive Caucus in efforts to center New York's most vulnerable from our crisis to care, public safety priorities to funding to protect affordable housing and home ownership, to protecting immigrant legal service funding.

I'm proud to continue supporting local service providers such as Misteca Center for Family Life, Red Hook Initiative, among so many more.

Thank you all for the work you do of loving and serving our district every single day.

It is great to see that the parks funding is baselined among so many other initiatives, and I'm taking, I'm and a taken out of the yearly budget dance.

We need to get to one percent.

I'm I'm reassured that this final budget kept the NYPD headcount flat and instead invested more resources in the services that New Yorkers need towards sustainable data-driven public safety measures, such as mental health treatment teams, including access for EMS workers, and will move New York City closer to our vision of true public safety.

While I am thrilled that a settlement was reached in City FEPS case and funding was allocated to expand the program, I am disappointed that the Progressive Caucus' rentals within reach program campaign to reduce existing NYCHA and supportive housing vacancies did not see the meaningful investments it should have, nor have we addressed EMT pay parity.

Rest assured we will continue to unapologetically fight for the working people of New York City.

Thank you.

And lastly, I am voting no on intro 553A and intro 929A, and I on the rest.

My brothers are associated with these entities.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you, majority leader.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, to the leadership team, and to the finance division.

Thank you for your tireless work.

Tomorrow, my colleagues, thank you for your tremendous work on this year's budget.

This year's budgeted as stated by Speak Modest Speaker earlier, delivered the largest package of investments uh secured in the city council history, both capital and expense.

It makes critical investments in addressing the ongoing affordability crisis here in New York City while expanding opportunity and improving the quality of life of all New Yorkers.

We expanded mental health services, strengthened affordable, affordable, affordable, strength and affordable and supportive housing, and invested in preparing vacant NITRE units for occupancy and increased support for older adults across our city.

And while these investments move our city forward, including steps to bring more NYCHA units back online, we must be honest that they do not yet meet the full scale of the need for facing public housing residents.

As we recognize this progress, we must also confront where our city is still falling short.

For me, that begins with public housing.

For decades, NITRE has suffered from chronic under the disinvestment.

But you let me be clear the answers to this investment is not privatization.

The answer is investment.

Public housing deserves public investment and public land must remain for public use.

This is why I will continue calling for an immediate moratorium on new rad pack conversions until we fully evaluate their long-term impact on residents and their rights.

And instead, we must prioritize direct investment in traditional section 9 housing by expanding comprehensive modernization program.

This is how we would repair and rehabilitate and modernize NITRE while keeping it permanently public.

And when it's a community's future is at stake, residents deserve more than a presentation.

They deserve a voice.

Every NYCHA resident should have the right in a formal democratic process to vote on whether or not that they want to go rad.

Please tell us your vote, Councilmember.

Thank you.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

I vote aye on all.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

There was no Sassan that I promise.

Brewer.

I want to say about the budget to thank the mayor and his staff, Speaker Men and her staff.

And I think in every community, we have mental health issues that are hopefully being addressed, housing issues, refs, NYCHA supportive units, all in the budget to a certain extent.

And certainly, uh Department of Consumer Worker Protection has improved its ability, hopefully, to do outreach, legal services, cultural.

I really want to thank you, Madam Speaker, for the support there.

Seniors need the home delivery.

CUNY needs the OmniCard.

That's exciting, as well as all the other programs, libraries, and parks.

I also want to thank everyone for helping with the 9-11 to see if there really were toxic discussions that took place.

We need to know it so that those can uh hopefully be addressed in the future if there are any such issues.

Um, I finally want to just uh state that this budget, what's only thing missing, we have to keep paying attention is the oversight agencies, be it um COI, be it DOI, which did get more money, or any other agency like that does oversight of our governance.

Thank you very much.

I vote aye on all.

Brooks powers.

I am disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the Queen's alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Data Sorry Incorporated is funded in the budget we are adopting, and I am associated with this nonprofit, and that the New York City Department of Education is funded in the budget we are adopting, and my sibling is associated with this nonprofit, also Edge School of the Arts is funded in the budget, and we are we are adopting and my child is associated with um this nonprofit permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Today I rise in support of this year's budget, but I do so with reservations.

This is my sixth budget in the city council having served under three mayoral administrations.

This is the first administration during my tenure where the mayor's executive capital budget includes no capital investments for the 31st council district at a time when my community faces long standing health and infrastructure challenges.

Just four days ago, the mayor said health care is a human right, and we will do everything in our power to defend it.

But those words ring hollow for my community today.

The absence of capital funding in this budget for the 31st district sends a clear message that your zip code does determine your right to health care.

A budget reflects our values, and every community deserves to see itself in that vision.

In the weeks ahead, the mayor must affirm his commitment to District 31 by sharing his vision for our community.

I will not stop fighting to ensure our district is not left behind under this administration.

That being said, I want to thank Speaker Menon for her leadership in negotiating a budget that reflects many of the council's priorities from raising fair fairs eligibility to 200% of the federal poverty level to the expansion of city FEPS to a historic investment in affordable housing preservation and new homeownership construction.

This budget brings us closer to delivering a trauma center to the Rockaway Peninsula by including 10 million dollars for this critical project thanks to this council.

This budget also provides an additional $5 million for our long-awaited Brookville Park Recreation Center that will create new opportunities for families and young people throughout Southeast Queens.

I am supporting this budget because of what the council fought to deliver for working families across New York City, but much more work lies ahead.

Thank you, and I vote aye.

Thank you.

Cabot.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you, colleagues, speaker, finance chair, and to the council finance staff for your tireless work on this budget.

When first elected to the city council, I made a promise to my constituents and to myself to always fight for the most vulnerable New Yorkers no matter what.

I believe then, as I do now, that we can build a city where parents can raise families, where people can grow old, where we can remain in our communities free from the fear of displacement, and where our government works for all of us.

But for too long, municipal budgets have prioritized the interests of the wealthy and well connected.

There are elements of this budget that, like those previous budgets, fall short of what working class New Yorkers need.

For example, it fails to fund rentals within reach, which would have provided the housing of 20,000 of the most vulnerable New Yorkers through investments in NYCHA and supportive housing.

And I will say, despite these shortcomings, this budget makes crucial changes that will improve the lives of people across the city.

When corporations commit wage theft or impose extortionate fees on New Yorkers, DCWP rarely has the resources to hold them accountable, and this budget increases their funding to ensure that they can enforce worker and consumer rights laws.

When New Yorkers fear being attacked or discriminated against because of their identity, they too often are directed to a reactive police response that does little to prevent or help heal.

Today we're investing 26 million in NYC against hate, which will promote proven community-based hate violence prevention.

Too many New Yorkers struggling with mental illness have been left to fend for themselves, or worse, criminalized for it.

We worked with advocates to baseline over $80 million for mental health programs to deliver care.

Every day, working-class New Yorkers face eviction.

I'm proud of the Progressive Caucus, the Speaker, the Mayor, to reach a deal to expand FEPS, but it does fall short.

We can do more.

And I'm proud to have worked closely with the mayor and public safety advocates to ensure there was no increase to the NYPD's headcount.

I've said it many times before, and I'll say it again.

Please wrap up and so on.

Just as I promised when I first met enter the council, we'll continue to fight for the New York we all deserve, but I will say for these reasons, I vote aye on the budget, no on intro 553A, and intro 929A, and I on all the rest.

Thank you.

Thank you.

De la Rosa.

I am disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the New York City Department of Education is funded in this budget we are adopting, and my child is associated with that entity.

Permission granted.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

I want to start by thanking Mayor Mamdani and his team, Speaker Menon and her team, Chair Lee, the BNT, and the staff for their work over the last several months.

I want to thank my colleagues, particularly those in the Progressive Caucus, as well as the coalitions and community advocates who fought tirelessly to protect critical services.

We worked for a budget that prioritizes affordable housing, social justice amid a deep affordability crisis.

This budget includes important wins for supportive housing, fair fares, library, immigrant legal services, parks, city facts, crisis to care.

Still, more work lies ahead to close the urgent housing gaps, including NYCHA vacancy repairs and stronger investments to address deed theft.

We all share responsibility for one another, but I especially want to commend Councilmember Pierina Sanchez for her tireless advocacy on City FEPS and for reminding us all of a collective duty to care for our fellow New Yorkers.

Our communities are confronting rising costs, growing mental health needs, fear and uncertainty in immigrant communities, and an escalating consequences of climate change.

Meeting these challenges will require truly progressive taxation that is equitable without reservation.

New Yorkers have made themselves clear.

We need an affordable city.

While rent, while the rent freeze on one and two-year leases offers some relief, our work is far from over.

I am proud to vote yes on the budget today with a continued commitment to uplift the voices of District 10 and to fight for a city that is rooted in affordability, safety, and dignity for all.

With that being said, I want to vote aye on all except for intro 929A and intro 92A, for which I vote no.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Dinowitz.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that City University of New York is funded in the budget we are adopting, and I am associated with that entity.

Permission to explain my vote.

Thank you so much, majority leader.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Thank you, sir.

I have to, well, may I rise to explain my vote?

It's my time.

Your time is count.

Your time has started.

I'll do what I want with that time.

I'm okay.

I'm okay.

No, I it's not just this why I love my job.

I think our job is very special.

Like every day, we get to help people.

And the people who come into our office are very often coming in at their worst, right?

People who are at their wits' end struggling just to get to their job on the bus, people on the verge of eviction, and parents who are anxious and desperate about the success of their children and families who want their parks to be safe and clean.

And for those families, for those neighbors of ours, we demand the best from our government.

And today, we are delivering the best in our government.

So for those workers that come into our office just trying to get to their job and do better for the city, we hear you.

And we're delivering an expansion of fair fares.

For the families on the brink of eviction, we hear you.

And we are delivering expanded city FEPS to keep you housed.

And for those parents who simply want their children to do better than they were ever able to do, we hear you.

And we are delivering New York City Kids' Rise, a thousand dollars for every public school, kindergarten investments in restorative justice, mental health support, student success centers, omni cards for CUNY students, early childhood seats, teacher training, and so much more.

And for those families who want those safe, clean parks increased and baseline parks funding.

The delivery of these services in this budget is due in large part all of us working together under the leadership of Speaker Menon.

And I just want to thank you, Speaker Menning, for standing firm and delivering a budget that delivers for our constituents to our finance chair and to the entire finance staff.

Thank you so much.

I vote aye on this budget and on all the legislation.

Thank you.

And Connacion.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that community voices heard is funded in the budget we are adopting, and I'm associated with that entity.

Also, like permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

I am proud to vote in support of this budget.

My very first as a member of the city council, and my first as a member of the council's leadership team.

Has been an incredible learning experience, and I am grateful to everyone whose hard work made this budget possible.

This budget reflects our shared values from our solidarity behind City FEPS to the incredible expansion of fair fairs.

And as chair of immigration committee, I am proud that we are reaffirming our commitment to immigration legal services, ensuring that immigrant New Yorkers continue to have access to the legal representation and support they deserve.

These are meaningful investments that will make a real difference in people's lives, and they are the result of collaboration, thoughtful negotiations, and a commitment to delivering for New Yorkers.

I want to sincerely thank Speaker Menon for her steadfast leadership and for holding the line on one of the council's most important priorities.

I also want to thank Finance Chair Lee and her for her partnership and dedication throughout this process, the incredible finance division for their tireless work, and every member of the budget negotiation team and the finance committee.

It has truly been an honor to be a part of this process, and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together.

With that said, I vote aye on all.

Thank you, Majority.

Epstein, uh permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Abdul Saleh, who's in my neighborhood, and about two months ago was um shot and killed in a gun violence.

He um ran a store, Bodega, my district, and it was such a really heartbreaking incident.

And you know, we've talked about gun violence a lot in this chamber and focusing on concerns around that, and we're doing a street code naming uh in his behalf, but it goes longer than that, and we have a huge problem in our city and in my district around gun violence.

You know, and so hopefully, with this street co-aming and the work that I know that we're doing across this council, we can get on in front of all these issues and on behalf of Abdul Saleh and his family and all the other victims of gun violence.

Um, I encourage us to continue to work for longer term solutions.

I vote aye.

Thank you.

Far yes.

Permission to explain my vote.

There's a new majority leader in the city.

I actually looked up and was confused for one second.

Permission granted.

Well, thank you, interim majority leader Krishnan.

Uh really.

Really proud to have reached um an on-time and historic budget agreement that delivers meaningful investments for all New Yorkers.

A huge thank you to our incredible finance team for their tireless work to Speaker Menon, Chair Lee, and obviously across City Hall, Mayor Mamdani and his team for partnering with the council to get this across the finish line.

We really had great collaboration this year, and our communities will be better because of it.

Um, and with that, I vote aye on all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Felder.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that tour college, the stroke and brain injury assistance organization, and the LWL of the childhood center funded in the budget that we are adopting, and I, my spouse and a sibling respectively are associated with that entity.

I also want to uh vote no on Reserve 530, 531, 532, 533.

It's in order, so it should be easier.

534 and 535, and I abstain on intro 956.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

You know, number.

Felice.

I am disclosing on the record that CUNY is funded in the budget we're adopting.

I serve proudly as an adjunct uh lecturer on the CUNY system.

Also, my parent is associated with volunteers of America, which is also being funded in this budget.

With that said, our permission takes my vote.

Permission granted.

And as everybody's standing up for their statements, I'll do the same.

I want to start by congratulating our wonderful speaker, Julie Menon, also our finance chair, Linda Lee, and all of my colleagues on fighting for a budget that helps resolve the issues of our time, including the issue of housing affordability, expanding the City Fabs program so that rather than living in a temporary shelter, our most vulnerable families can live in a stable home with the dignity that they deserve.

Also, public transit affordability, expanding the Fair Fares program so that costs related to travel do not become an obstacle when residents are in search of opportunity.

Housing affordability, public transit affordability, and so much more.

We fought to properly fund our libraries, our parks, please keep it down in the chambers.

Our kids' rights program to ensure that we're truly preparing our youth for the future.

So many big wins for the hardworking people of the city.

This is a budget that we should all be proud of.

I'm also proud and thankful that we're finally voting to approve Intro 553, the Small Business Protection Program, or Small Business Protection Act.

Small businesses are the heart of our economy.

They create local jobs, they make communities vibrant.

They do so much, and it is crucial that we listen to them and help them resolve the challenges that they face, including challenges related to safety.

Some of our businesses continue to face challenges related to safety, problems that are affecting their ability to stay afloat.

My bill will ensure that businesses have the tools to help prevent safety issues by equipping them with technology, including cameras, plexiglass for the bodegas, and more to help deter.

This is an important step that we're taking to protect small business owners and their hard work.

We're also sending a very crystal clear message that when it comes to the safety issues that they've consistently raised, this city council is listening.

So with that said, I want to thank you, Speaker Manon, for helping get that bill to the finish line.

Perfect timing.

Gennaro.

I am disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the Queen's Centers for Progress is funded in the budget.

We are adopting, and my spouse is associated with an entity.

My spouse is Wendy, and she's watching.

And so there you go.

Permission granted.

I am really delighted that this budget includes a new initiative, Heat Pumps for All.

A pilot program of cost-free heat pumps for low-income and two family for low-income one and two family homeowners in environmental justice communities.

I am proud to have introduced this initiative in this year's budget process with support from Finance Chair Linda Lee, Councilmember Aviles, Councilmember Nurse, Councilmember Marte, the BNT, and of course, Speaker Menon and all of her terrific staff.

Special shout out to Nathan Toth.

It was great working side by side with environmental advocates and labor in common cause to create a city with clean air and clean energy union jobs.

This is the formula for a more sustainable city.

This pilot will help to normalize the heat pump technology that we barely need to meet our clean air and climate challenges, and we'll generate data on the efficacy of this technology.

I again want to thank Speaker Menon for her great environmental leadership to advance this, to advance this effort, and for recognizing the importance of expanding access to clean affordable heating and cooling for working families and the creation of green union jobs.

This funding is an important first step towards ensuring that working families have the same opportunity to modernize their homes, lower their energy bills, and contribute to a cleaner, more resilient New York City.

And last but not least, I thank my terrific legislative director sitting right behind me, Josh Gachette.

With that said, I vote aye on all.

Thank you.

Gutierrez.

I am disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the New York City Department of Social Services and Education and my Monods Medical Center are funded in the budget we are adopting, and my spouse, child, and sibling respectively are associated with those entities.

Permission to explain my vote.

Thank you.

Um I want to first start off by giving all the thank yous.

I want to double down on thanking the entire finance staff, Speaker Menon, the Mamdani administration, all the staff.

This has been quite the experience, and I'm really excited that in a few hours it will be behind us.

Um I want to give a special shout out to the Progressive Caucus, to our champions, the Progressive Caucus leadership, Council members Nurse Galan, Abile Santosuoso, and PC member Pirina Sanchez that have been incredible partners in not just getting these critical critical investments to our budget, but really helping to prioritize all the needs for working class New Yorkers for the most vulnerable New Yorkers.

I am really excited that the administration is funding the early child care workforce development at CUNY.

We had a hearing a couple couple months ago now, and while I am obviously in support of the expansion and the rollout of all things universal child care, I've been concerned about our ability to match the number of seats and expansion with workforce, aka filling the classrooms with educators to do that work.

CUNY has been doing this work for a very long time.

They are up for the challenge to expand, and so I am super, super excited to see the 2.5 million investment to support this growing workforce so that anybody who's looking to um pursue a profession in early child care education can be trained and prepared to take this on.

Um I, of course, am very grateful that we were able to secure the funding for um expanding city FEPS.

You've heard from so many of my colleagues, you've heard from Speaker Menon just how important it has been to invest in expanding this voucher because creating this program allows every New Yorker who is facing eviction or homelessness an opportunity and option.

And for many of us here before we were members, we were one paycheck away from that as well.

So it's oh, that's it.

That's my whole time.

Oh my god.

Okay.

I vote um I, except for intro 929, and I abstain from intro 553.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Hanif.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

I vote yes on the budget.

Thanks to the leadership of Democratic Socialist Mayor Mamdani, the budget before us is not a budget of austerity.

It is a budget that shows what is possible when we choose to invest in poor and working people and care.

Fair fares is baselined and expanded so more New Yorkers can get around our city.

Longtime priorities of the Progressive Caucus, mental health responders, crisis respite centers, and initiatives that hire peer specialist staff are baselined.

Promise NYC, which provides free child care for newly arrived immigrant families, is baselined.

And importantly, there's no increase in NYPD headcount, an issue I strongly advocated for during negotiations.

This council also secured a historic agreement on city FEPS.

At a time when too many families remain trapped in shelter, this investment creates a pathway to permanent housing, stability, community, and opportunity.

These victories are significant, but our work is not done.

I look forward to continuing the fight to fully invest in NITRA so vacant apartments can be repaired and returned to families faster.

I will also continue advocating for full funding of the mayor's office for people with disabilities, the disability justice arm of our city government.

And let me be clear, New Yorkers deserve even more.

We must tax the rich.

Alongside the Progressive Caucus and my socialist colleagues, I will continue fighting every year for the resources we need to deliver housing, transit, schools, health care, and public services that every New Yorker deserves.

Thank you, Speaker Menon, and the budget negotiating team.

Today I am proud to be a Democratic Socialist.

I vote aye on all except for 929.

Thank you.

Hankerson.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

I'll be very brief because I spoke already, but I just want to thank Speaker Menon again for her advocacy on parks as well as the entire finance team, Nathan and his team for the hard work that they did over these past few months.

I want to thank the Speaker's Office for the capital funding for Basley Pond Park.

It is something that my constituents have been waiting and looking for.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Today I'm proud to vote yes on the FY27 budget.

It delivers real investments for you, New Yorkers.

This is a budget that makes life more affordable, strengthens neighborhoods, and protects essential services.

I want to thank Speaker Menon, Finance Chair Linder Lee, and the Council's finance staff and everyone who worked through this process to deliver responsible budget that meets this moment.

This budget makes meaningful investments in fair fares, homeowners, older adults, our cultural institution, and it also proves an important point.

We can invest our communities without raising property taxes, raiding reserves, or cutting essential services.

I'm especially proud of the expansion of NYC Kids' Rise.

Every New York City public school kindergartner will now have a stronger financial foundation from the very beginning.

And that is how we help families build wealth, expand opportunity, and invest in the next generation.

But I also want to be clear throughout this process, we fought for our first responders.

We fought for the additional resources for our police officers and firefighters to keep New Yorkers safe.

Public safety must always remain a priority, and we will continue that fight.

As a member of this body and a representative of District 49, my commitment remains the same to support responsible investments that strengthen our neighborhoods, improve lives, and deliver for the people we serve.

Speaker Menon, you made us proud with a budget that reflects our values, and I am proud to support a budget that meets this moment for New Yorkers, and I vote eye on all.

Hudson.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings at the Brooklyn Museum, Botanical Garden, Academy of Music, Museum of the City of New York, New York City Commission on Gender Equity and Unlocal are funded in the budget we are adopting, and I, my spouse, and my business associate respectively are associated with those entities.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you.

One of the most challenging but crucial roles of this body is our charter mandate to approve the city's budget.

And while no budget is perfect and there is never enough money to fully fund every item, there's always something to be grateful for.

And this budget includes meaningful wins.

It properly budgets HRA programs like cash assistance, adds SNAP eligibility specialists, invest 78 million dollars to expand fair fares to 200% of the federal poverty line, and for the first time fund SNAP educators to help New Yorkers access benefits after the Trump administration eliminated federal support for this work.

And the Progressive Caucus' fiscal year 26 campaign crisis to care is now baselined while this budget secures tens of millions of dollars to fill supportive housing and NYCHA vacancies as demanded by the Progressive Caucus's fiscal year 27 rentals within reach campaign.

I also want to call out this budget's commitment to City FEPS.

170 million, 75 million dollars in additional funds to stabilize the program and get us closer toward the expansion this council has fought for since 2023, which would not have happened without the leadership of the Progressive Caucus and tireless advocacy of social service providers and impacted New Yorkers.

We will not stop fighting for additional funding to implement these laws, and I'm committed to continuing my advocacy for budget priorities that meet the urgency this moment demands, including uh funding, including um allowing people to remain in their homes by funding the tools they need to combat deed theft.

Lastly, I want to thank council finance staff as well as those at OMB for getting us to this point, quite literally.

I want to especially thank Julia Haramus, Elizabeth Childers Garcia, and Farija Rahman for the from the general welfare team, and thank you to the Speaker and Mayor for their leadership.

I vote aye with the exception of intro 929A, for which I abstain.

Thank you.

Joseph.

Thank you.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceeding that my child is associated with New York City Public Schools that we are funding in this district in this budget.

And also my child is associated with ROSIS and Moving Mountains.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you, majority leader.

Today we're finalizing new investments in people of New York City, which reflect our commitment to opportunity, safety, economic mobility, and stronger communities.

As the chair of committee on higher education, I'm especially proud that this budget delivers historic investments in CUNY.

Because when we invest in CUNY, we invest in New York City's future.

CUNY is the economic engine of our city.

It is where first-generation students, working parents, immigrants, veterans, and lifelong learners gain the education and skills that strengthen our workforce, our neighborhood.

It is one of the greatest pathways to middle class, and this budget recognizes that.

This year we secured $700,000 for a pilot program providing free OmniCards for CUNY students, helping remove one of the biggest barriers to college success: transportation.

No students should have to choose between getting to class and paying for groceries or rent.

We are investing in the programs that we know change lives, expanding support for CUNY Reconnect, strengthening CUNY ACE, CUNY ASAP, enhancing CUNY disability services, and growing early childhood workforce development at CUNY to build the next generation of educators our city urgently need.

As a chair of the higher education committee, I'm also equally proud that this budget continues to invest in our youngest learners, strengthening our public schools, and support the educators and families who make our education system work every day.

I'm also thrilled that we're bringing home critical investments for residents of District 40.

This budget delivers meaningful resources for our neighborhoods, schools, our parks, our cultural institutions, and community organizations that make central Brooklyn such a vibrant place to live.

These investments will improve the quality of life, expand opportunities for our young people, and strengthen neighborhood we proudly call home.

Today we're also here more there's more work ahead.

However, this budget is an example when we accomplish when we work together and put New Yorkers first.

I want to thank the mayors, the speaker, and all of the staff and countless students, educators, labor partners, and community organizations for their partnership in delivering these important investments.

Together we have produced a budget that invests in our students, supports working families, strengthen public safety and advances our neighborhoods, and build a more equitable future for all New Yorkers.

And I vote aye.

Thank you.

Krishna.

I am disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the New York City Department of Education, Common Point, New York City, the YMCA and CUNY Queen's College, are funded in the budget we are adopting, and my children are associated with those entities.

Our City Council, under the leadership of Speaker Menon and Finance Chair Lee, have secured the largest package of capital and expense investments secured by any city council in New York City history.

I'm thankful for the leadership of our council and Mayor Mamdani for delivering a budget for working families.

This budget fights for all of us.

It funds our parks, turns the pages on former Mayor Adams' corruption, and strengthens the council's work to protect and support workers.

We've delivered a massive victory for our parks department.

The budget we are signing into law makes sure that parks workers don't get handed a pink slip on July 1st, now or ever.

We've created the first ever swim safety initiatives, giving us the staff, resource, and educational materials to prevent drownings.

And we also expanded WaveMakers, the program that the Speaker and I worked on several years ago that gives second graders free swim lessons across the city.

For the first time in years, the Department of Investigation saw an increase in their funding that goes beyond the Adams Yirks cuts and slashes.

That means we can hold bad landlords, big corporations, and government agencies who are letting us down accountable.

And with the four million dollar increase in funding, with the work of our speaker, Councilmember Brewer and I, we will be able to give the brave men and women who risked their lives during and after 9-11 answers on what our city knew about the air quality.

This budget is also a workers' rights budget.

I'm proud that we were able to deliver 2.1 million dollars in funding for the first ever non-traditional worker organizing and education initiative.

This initiative carries on the historic work we've done in the council to support workers' rights from decriminalizing street vending to passing the largest workers' rights legislation for Uber and Lyft drivers, putting an end to their unfair firings and giving them notice and due process.

We will make sure workers understand their rights and know our city has their back.

Today we are voting on a budget that moves us beyond corruption and the prioritization of billionaires to a budget that supports our families, parks, and workers.

A budget that funds city fs to keep families in their homes and gives their kids a chance to go to college for New York City Kids Rise.

I am proud to vote aye today on a budget that delivers for working families in Queens and across New York City and to vote aye on all the rest too.

Thank you.

Lee.

Thank you.

So I'm disclosing for the record of the council proceeding that the New York City Department of Education is funded in the budget we are adopting, and my children are associated with that entity, and that Korean community services is funded in this budget we are adopting, and my husband is associated with that entity.

Um permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you.

So I just want to say thank you so much to our speaker for fighting so hard and negotiating such a strong budget that includes so many wins that are historic, many of which my colleagues have already highlighted around City FEP.

Special shout out to Councilmember Pirina Sanchez, as well as a lot of our colleagues who fought so hard to get that into the budget and negotiate it.

We still have a lot more work to do, but very thankful for homebound meals, for our seniors, as well as a lot of the mental health programming that we know is important and keeps New Yorkers safe.

But I just really wanted to spend most of my time, well, before I get to that, and special shout out to all the advocates and providers who participated in all the roundtables, the rallies, the conversations with all of us members to really fight for and advocate a lot of their asks and needs and to guide us in that process.

But I wanted to really dedicate my time to recognize some key people from our finance team that really did such an amazing, amazing job negotiating this budget and putting everything together.

So I'm just gonna read all your names.

Uh so finance chair Nathan Toth, Managing Director Jonathan Rosenberg, Deputy Directors Emra Adev, Chima Obescher, Paul Simone, and Isha Wright, Chief Economist and Assistant Director Delara Dimniku, who always schools us on property taxes, um, supervising economists Paul Sturm and Andrew Wilbur, assistant directors Alia Ali, Julia Haramis, Florentine Cabor, Dan Krupp, Caitlin O'Hagan, James Reyes, and Jack Story, Chief Counsel, Nicholas Connell, Senior Council Nadia Jean Francois, Council Committee, who always is my rider die who sits next to me and shares all his snacks during hearings, Brian Sarfo, my senior advisor, Athena Say, and many other finance analysts, economists and support staff who work behind the scenes.

And shout out to my district staff as well for holding the fort down.

And with that, I vote aye on all.

Thank you.

Lewis.

And disclosing for the record of the City Council proceeding that New York City Parks Department and the MTAR funded in the budget.

We are adopting, and myself and my sibling are respectfully associated with these entities.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you so much.

Today I'm proud to vote yes on this historic budget.

This is a fiscally responsible budget that invests in essential services, advances our affordability agenda, and strengthens our city's fiscal future.

And it does all that, all of that without cutting the services our communities depend on.

For far too long, libraries, parks, cultural organizations, and CUNY have fought every single budget cycle just to keep their doors open.

This budget changes that permanently, baselining funding for our parks, cultural institutions, and CUNY.

For homeowners, this budget invests in the homeowner help desk, providing technical support, financial and legal counseling to keep families in their homes, and for our neighbors struggling to make the rent, this budget gives crucial investments and expands city FEPS.

I want to commend Speaker Menon and Chair Lee for being historic history makers with this budget.

Councilmember P.

Sanchez for her advocacy and hard work, the entire finance team for taking each and every one of my annoying phone calls and for the speaker staff for your leadership and hard work and with all that vote I thank you.

Thank you.

Maloney.

First, I want to disclose on the record of the council proceedings that the New York Foundation for Senior Citizens is funded in this budget that we're adopting, and my sister serves on the board.

And I also want to disclose that City University of New York, the floating hospital, 92 NY, the Metropolitan Opera Association are funded in the budget, and my mother is associated with those entities.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

A budget is a reflection of values, and this one makes a long-term commitment to our parks, to our libraries, to our cultural institutions, by restoring and baselining funding for these services that New Yorkers rely on every day.

It creates more opportunities for the next generation by increasing New York City kids' rise, college savings accounts, expanding housing vouchers to help more New Yorkers find stable and affordable homes.

And I'm proud to share that we have a $25 million commitment to expand psychiatric care at Bellevue Hospital, located in my district.

This delivers library renovations for Hunter College, ADA upgrades at the Met and CUNY Graduate Center, and funding for Stytown Tenants Association, all in my district, the nation's largest tenants association dedicated to preserving affordability.

And we did all of this while strengthening our city's fiscal footing, adding 300 million to the Rainy Day Fund, bringing that to 400 million this year.

So congratulations to Speaker Menon, to Finance Chair Lee, to Mayor Mondami, and to all of my colleagues in the New York City Council for delivering a budget that protects essential services, strengthens our neighborhoods, and invests in New York families.

For all these reasons, I'm proud to vote yes.

Thank you.

Marte.

I am disclosing on the record of the council's proceedings that Asphalt Green, Fortune Society, and Combody Productions are funded in a budget we are adopting, and I and my sibling are associated with those entities.

Permission to explain my no.

Permission granted.

But with the work and the commitment that the speaker has done for workers and working class families across our city, and because of chair of our housing committee, Perina Sanchez and her dedication on holding the line, it's gotten to a point where you know this is not all that we wanted, but we got to a place where we have the commitments we deliver on some and we have to keep on fighting.

And some of those fights are, you know, fighting against privatization of public housing, making sure that workers actually get paid for the hours that they work, making sure that people don't have to give their lives just to have a roof above their heads, and that we choose keeping in people keeping people in their homes instead of putting them in shelter and putting them in a path of horrible outcomes.

And so I want to thank this council.

There's a lot more work that needs to be done.

There's a lot more commitments that need to be made, and I look forward in the upcoming weeks that we can deliver, especially for workers in this city who continue to be blindsided by the administration.

Thank you.

I vote aye on all.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you.

Mealy.

May I have permission to not explain my vote?

And just vote.

Permission granted to speak.

Thank you.

All right.

No on L U 8 1 and Reso 514.

Um, keep it down in the chambers, please.

Thank you.

Uh L U A2.

Council Morefelder, please keep it down, please.

Thank you.

Do I get my time?

No.

Um, Rezo 515 and intro 92A.

Thank you.

Happy fourth.

Great budget.

Thank you, Councilman.

Morano.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the New York City Department of Education lose helping hand, victory for the voiceless, prospect heights open streeting, Columbia University, City University of New York, YMCA, and the Italian Club of Staten Island are funded in the budget.

We're adopting, and my child spouse, siblings, and I respectively are associated with those entities.

Uh, permission to explain my vote.

Permission, Grantson.

First, I want to express my profound gratitude to our speaker, our finance chair, and the entire budget negotiating team.

Uh, because of their fierce advocacy, this budget delivers incredible historic capital investments for Staten Island.

Investments that will benefit our borough for generations.

This team stood tall, and it's precisely because of their exceptional leadership that I'm enthusiastically voting yes on the capital budget today.

I also want to praise my progressive colleagues in this chamber.

We don't always see eye to eye, but during these high-stakes negotiations, nobody blinked.

My colleagues refused the temptation to be divided or picked off by the other side of City Hall.

They stood united as honest brokers for what they felt was right, and that's true public service, and I respect all of them for it.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the executive branch, and that's why I must vote no on the expense budget.

Yesterday, on the very eve of this vote, we learned that funding for 580 additional NYPD officers was quietly stripped.

Just weeks ago, the police commissioner and the budget director testified right here in this room that these officers were fully funded and critical to keeping violent crime down to pull the rug out at the 11th hour after formal negotiations concluded, and when it was too late to negotiate an alternative, it's a slap in the face to this body and an insult to the public trust.

I can't understand how city government can find the time, the money, and the focus to name a bunch of stuff for a basketball team and change it all back.

But we can't find a way to hire 580 more cops.

Mayor Mom Donnie has proven himself to be a totally dishonest broker.

Good government requires transparency and baseline integrity, not governing by surprise behind closed doors.

As proud as I am of our speaker, I can't support an expense budget handed down by an administration that negotiates in bad faith and compromises the safety of our streets.

With that, I vote aye on all, with the exception of intro 31A, intro 92A, Reso 529, Resos 530, 531, 532, pre-considered resolutions 534 and 5345, preconsidered resolutions 539 and 540 and M69.

Pre-considered resolutions 543 and M74.

Preconsidered resolution 544 and M80.

Pre-considered resolution 545 and M82.

Preconsidered resolution 546 and M82.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Narcisse.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceeding that New York University, Brookdale Hospital, Haitian Americans United for Progress Act, are funded in the budget we are adopting, and my partner and child respectively are associated with those entities.

And permission to expand my vote.

Permission granted.

So to start, I have to say thank you to Speaker Menon and the leadership, and of course, the mayor that shake their hands, but there's a lot more to work on.

And I have to say thank you to Jonathan and all the finance team.

You've been amazing to me.

Thank you for not ignoring me when I talk.

Because there's needs in the community.

I want to say thank you.

And to all the uh the speakers' team, thank you.

I'm looking forward to what to work on getting a rec center, but it's not possible as yet.

My children for the summer don't have no swimming pool.

So I'm wondering they cannot swim in the bucket.

So I'm saying it.

I'm putting it on the floor that we need to have a rec center in the community for the children.

Thank you again.

The speaker worked very hard in all of us and all the team and all my colleagues.

Citif that we talk so much about, 175.

So thank you, uh, Speaker Menon.

Businesses, we have a space for you.

Speaker menon, understand that mental health is very important.

Now, so many baseline parks, deep death is a problem in our community.

Thank you.

Libraries, veterans, we address all those in this budget.

Fair fair, right?

I have participated in so many people who come out to say thank you all the time that we're able to support provide the support.

Seniors are not left out in this budget.

We cover people's needs.

Healthcare was present in that budget.

So all I'm saying is not perfect.

We have a lot more work to do, but I want to say thank you to all the leadership that come up from the speaker's aspect and the mayor's part.

Thank you for all the name, the street core naming in my district, and Marley, thank you for our advocacy to bring it to my attention.

So to all chair, thank you so much.

Your vote.

Sorry, I would I.

And I just want to remind folks that we need to maintain quorum throughout the evening.

I understand members are attempting to leave, but we we need to keep quorum between now, especially during the resolutions.

So please stay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Nurse.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Uh I just want to first of all thank uh councilmember Hudson for the street code naming of Little Panama.

And I see my extended family up there, Miss Onita and Gregario Myers, so thank you for your work and all of your efforts to continue our traditions.

Viva Panama.

And thank you to everybody, all the staff who worked uh on this budget.

I also want to thank uh Gabriela Mendoza, our intern who's here today.

She did fabulous work this year for our office.

Uh, I vote I on all except intro 929A.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, say.

I vote eye on all, with the exception of intro 929, in which I'm a no, and intro 553, in which I abstain.

Thank you.

Paladino.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

I've been a member of the city council for nearly five years.

And until now, I voted yes on every city budget.

None of these budgets were perfect.

Each of them contained many things I disagreed with.

But this isn't about demanding perfection.

It's about making responsible decisions and choices that lay in front of us.

Unfortunately, this year is different.

This year I have to vote no.

Even by the standards of our dysfunctional city government, this budget represents a complete departure from the fiscal reality.

It spends more money than New York City has ever spent at precisely the moment that we could least afford it.

This is the largest single year increase in spending history.

It depends on new taxes from Albany, pension deferrals, a budget at bailouts from the governor, and even the revenue projections are optimistic.

This isn't a balanced budget.

This is budgeted by a bailout.

It's a ticking time bomb.

And the beginning of a fiscal death trial spiral that our current leadership will not be able to pull us out of because we lack both the experience and the seriousness in which to do so.

What will we do next year and then the year after that?

The only sustainable way to support a higher spending is through sustained economic growth by retaining the supporting businesses, encouraging private investment investment, and expanding our tax base.

Instead, we are doing the exact opposite.

We are actively chasing out the very people we need most with political stunts and threats that alienate entire sectors of our economy while we nickel and dime the working class people.

The middle class, the financial sector, the businesses of all sizes are choosing to go elsewhere.

And they are being replaced with low-income foreigners and transplants that require significant subsidies.

Please wrap up just to survive.

No, we waited five hours.

No, Councilmember.

I'm sorry.

Let me just finish up my one thing.

One thing.

Let me get this out.

Okay.

Councilmember, your time is up.

Please let us know.

My tax my time is up.

We waited five hours to speak today.

Please please mute her mic.

Please mute her mic.

Thank you.

Let me just say this.

We hear her mic.

Simple thing.

Okay.

I've been consistent with everyone tonight.

Very consistent.

Please keep it down in the gallery.

If not, you have to be removed.

Keep please keep it down in the chambers, please.

Councilmember Paladino, how are you voting?

Councilmember.

Councilmember Paladino, how are you voting?

Oh, no.

And I want to vote no on it.

Thank you for intro 31A.

Intro 92A, Reso 529, Reso's 530, 531, 532, preconsidered resos 534, 535, preconsidered resos 539, 540, M69, preconsidered results 543, M74, preconsidered reso 544, M80, pre-considered resos 545, M81, preconsidered results 546 and M82.

Thank you.

Councilmember Russler.

Great.

Thank you.

I I will take the opportunity to engage from there.

I actually think that this mayor deserves credit for an honest accounting of our financial obligations.

When he came into office after years of corruption and cronyism, uh he gave a real analysis of the actual costs that we're facing as a city and presented an honest budget.

And then went up to Albany and actually secured the billions of dollars that were needed to present a balanced executive budget.

An impressive performance.

And on my disclosures, the mayor's office of management and the budget is funded in this budget, and I'm very proud of my wife who works there.

The Mercantile Library Association of the City of New York and the Brooklyn Heights Association are funded in this budget.

And I'm proud of my mom who serves on the board of both of those organizations.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Riley.

Thank you.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceeding that the Bronx Public Administrator's Office, the New York City's Department of Education, Girl Scouts of Greater New York, the YMCA, the New York City Administration for Children's Services, and MC and Y are funded in the budget.

We were adopted in my spouse, children, business associate, parent, sibling, and I respectfully are associated with those entities.

Thank you.

Um today I'm proud to vote to support this budget.

Throughout this process, I've been proud to work with Speaker Menon, Finance Chair Linda Lee, my council colleagues, uh Mayor Ma'am Donnie and his administration, and most importantly, our finance team.

We deliver the fiscally responsible budget that lowers the cost of living, expands opportunity, and strengthens the essential services New Yorkers rely on each and every single day.

This budget reflects our shared commitment to invest in people and create pathways to opportunity from helping families build generational wealth through expanding college savings account for the public school students to making critical investment that strengthens housing stability and supports communities across our city.

Budgets are a reflection of our values, and this agreement demonstrates what is possible when we work together with purpose.

I'm proud to support this budget that invests in working families while laying a stronger foundation for a more affordable, equitable, and prosperous New York City tomorrow.

And with that being said, I vote aye on all with the exception of 92A, which I'm a no.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Salam.

I'm the slot in on the record of the council proceedings that the YMCA is funded in this budget that we are adopting and that my family and I are associated with that non-for-profit.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you for the opportunity to share the pride that I feel for the efforts of my colleagues.

I want to thank the mayor, and I also want to thank our chair of finance, Linda Lee, and the entire council team.

But I want to especially thank our speaker, Julie Minen.

Their hard work and dedication delivered a budget that puts New Yorkers first.

Their leadership helped secure a historic agreement to expand City FEPS, ending years of litigation, and creating a stronger, more sustainable program that will help keep more New Yorkers safely housed for years to come.

This budget also includes the largest, the largest, in fact, expansion of fair fares in the program's history, include increasing, as been said, eligibility to 200% of the federal poverty level, and providing an additional 340,000 New Yorkers with access to half-price subway and bus fares.

These accomplishments reflect the council's leadership's ability to negotiate thoughtfully and responsibly, reaching agreements that are truly in the best interest of our city while delivering meaningful results for working class families.

Again, congratulations to our speaker Julie Minen, Chair Linda Lee, and every single person involved in making this budget a success.

Thank you.

And I vote aye.

Thank you, Councilman.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the city university of New York and neighborhood defender services is funded in the budget we are adopting, and my sibling and business associate respectively are associated with those entities.

I want to take a moment to thank everyone involved in the suit, the budget on this fits City FEPS win for low income and working class New Yorkers.

First, the plaintiffs, Mary Vincent, Caroline Tejala, Mary Cronet, and Susan Axe, the speaker's team, Miguelina Camilo, my fellow Dominicana, Jonathan Zat, and Tritt and Bob Tripwall, Simone Jones, the whole comms team, you all have gone in, Julia Agos, Ben Fang, Henry Robbins.

The Progressive Caucus who who really held held me down and held us together, especially the leadership.

Council members Caban, Nurse, Abilis, and Santos Suoso, OGC, those that fought this case, and one in that.

One in the courts, Maka Eheber General Counsel, Amanda del Grosso, Jeff Campania was up many nights.

Thank you.

The Ledge Division, Andrea Vasquez, Mita Deshmook, Jeff Baker, the finance team, especially Jonathan Rosenberg, Nick Connell, and Julia Haramis, the Legal Aid Society, our co-counsels, Judith Goldner, Robert Desir, Ed Josephson, the Coalition, Vocal New York, WIN, the Homes Can't Wait Coalition, Vocal New York Win, Coalition for the Homeless, Volunteers of America, Safety Net Project, Community Service Society, and my team, especially my deputy chief of staff for policy, Ben Ratner, and Deputy Chief for Communications and Public Engagement, Kim Castellano, but also Gerard Dylan, Maria Jose, Soraya Uriana, Maria Archief.

There's two of them.

Our interns, Mia Marcus, and Ari.

And finally, my family, my husband, Devin, and Yaya and Lalo.

Thank you for sharing your mommy with New York City.

Thank you to my mom and dad, my my brother, Tiocao, Tiakaki, the Matthews, our neighbors.

Thank you for helping with child care over the many weekends and late nights that we had to work.

I'm thrilled about what we accomplished today.

I'm thrilled about many other parts of the budget.

The historic street vending reforms have money in this budget to be implemented in the next year.

Please wrap up.

Can you please tell me how you're voting?

Yes, okay.

Thank you.

Just shout out to the PC.

I vote uh I on all with the exception of Intro 929 and 553, on which I abstain.

Thank you.

My apologies, Councilmember.

No or abstain.

Abstain.

Oh, thank you.

My thank you.

Santos Suoso.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

I want to thank the mayor and speaker and definitely their respective staffs for landing the plane today.

And in particular, I'm grateful that our FEPS lawsuit is dropped and that we're on a path to preventing thousands more evictions.

I'm hopeful that in budgets to come, that number expands.

And I'm grateful to the Progressive Caucus and Councilmember Pierina Sanchez for the leadership and commitment to FEPS.

At the same time, I'm disappointed that other Progressive Caucus priorities did not make it to the levels of funding that they should have today, and in particular, funding to fill NYCHA vacancies and funding for expanding supportive housing, which constituents in my district would have benefited enormously from.

I'm saddened that we're missing out on the urgent and important opportunity we had to house people faster.

And so for those in my district facing eviction but unable to apply for City FEPS on a NYCHA wait list or in need of supportive housing, we have not forgotten you and we will continue fighting for you.

In positive news, I'm excited for the baselining of parks workers and hopeful that this puts us on a path to securing a baseline one percent of the budget for parks.

I'm also thrilled at the funding for libraries, child care, and immigration legal services.

This budget will also fund big projects in our district from new school gymnasiums and science labs to improvements to the beloved Coney Island Aquarium.

Additionally, we secured millions of dollars in funding for nonprofits to continue their critical work across the district.

I have been inspired time and time again by the clarity, intelligence, and courage displayed by my colleagues throughout this process, especially the Progressive Caucus.

We have a long road ahead of us to create a more affordable, equitable, and just city, but we also have leaders of conviction and integrity to lead the way.

So I vote aye on the budget.

On legislation, I proudly vote aye on 910A that will prevent thousands of New York City small business owners from having to pay upwards of $10,000 to replace their roll-down security gates.

That's important to me as a small business owner.

Thank you to Councilmember Althea Stevens for your swift action with this legislation.

I'm voting no on 553 simply because there's already a state program that covers this that is underutilized.

And I'm voting no on 929 because at a time when protest is being punished by this presidential administration.

I don't want to ascribe my name to something that even hints at the possibility of curtailing First Amendment rights, though I'm grateful for all of the amendments to this legislation, and I on the remainder.

Thank you all.

Congratulations on the budget.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Shulman.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the office of the mayor of the city of New York is funded in the budget.

We are adopting.

My sibling is associated with that entity.

Uh permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

Today I am proudly voting for one of the most robust and comprehensive budgets this council has passed in quite a while.

I want to thank and congratulate Speaker Julie Menon for spearheading a budget that reflects what we value as a city.

This budget makes important investments in our communities by providing housing for those who are homeless, tackling food insecurity, enhancing our parks and libraries, supporting older adults, improving health and quality of life by keeping our neighborhood safe and clean, and continuing to strengthen the programs New Yorkers rely on every day.

As chair of the Committee on Health, I'm especially pleased that this budget includes investments in the Spain to Pilot Initiative I introduced last year and provides for a much-needed pet pantry program.

I also want to thank the speaker for the 10 million dollars, 10 million dollar investment in the Far Rockaway Trauma Center, something that is sorely needed.

We need a lot more, but this is a great start, and it hasn't been done before, so I want to thank her for that.

Um this year I am privileged to have more than 2.2 million dollars in discretionary funding to support local organizations in my district and more than 10 million dollars in capital funding for uh to benefit my constituents.

More details to follow on that, so stay tuned.

Um thank you again to Speaker Menon and special thanks to the speaker's negotiating team, Miguelina, Jonathan and Nathan, Finance Chair Linda Lee, the City Council Finance Division, my colleagues and my wonderful staff led by my chief of staff, Jonathan Boucher, and Kevin Macley are my budget director for their hard work throughout this budget process.

I also want to mention that I am um that I have a street name co-naming for Spider-Man Way uh in Forest Hills.

I uh for nearly 65 years, Spider-Man has represented the very best of Queens, and actually uh, believe it or not, uh, there is a Parker family that did live at 20 Ingram Street.

Um so I'm very much looking forward to that.

And with that, I vote aye on all.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Stevens.

I would like to disclose on the record um of these council proceedings that Columbia President and the YMC are funded in the budget, and we're adopting, and my child discipline are represent um respectively are associated with those entities.

Um, permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Our budget is more than numbers on a spreadsheet, it's a more document.

It reflects who we value, who we prior prioritize, and whether we are willing to invest in communities that have been asked to do more for less for generations.

I represent District 16 in the Bronx, one of the poorest districts in our city.

Yes, our district allocations were more than disappointing.

And for the first time, we got little to no investments.

Given the level of investments, it's just inadequate.

For the community facing deep challenges in housing, youth services, public safety, education, economic opportunities, the amount feels like crumbs.

Equality cannot simply mean a slogan.

Equality means people who need more should get more.

If we truly believe in fairness, the community carrying the greatest burden should be the ones not left fighting over the smallest resources.

Dr.

Martin Luther King once said, our America who often have been taking necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes.

God never intended for one group of people to live with wealth while others lived in poverty.

Those words still challenge us today.

When I ran for office, it was not for a title, it was to ensure that our voice would be heard and that who are often overlooked.

For families, young people, seniors, and working class residents who deserve more than just symbolic support.

It's saddened me that I cannot tell my constituents that this bus budget fully meets the urgency of their needs.

And while I respect the hard work of the negotiations, I must be honest where District 16 stands.

So today I will be voting no on this budget, not because I've given up on my community, but because I believe we deserve better.

And let's be clear the Suite 16, we're resilient.

We will continue to organize, advocate, raise our voices into our community, receive the investments, dignity and opportunity we've always deserved.

I will also be voting, um, I will be voting no on intro 92A, intro 929A, and Reso 529.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thomas Henry.

I am disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the Learning Tree STEM Arts School, Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning, and Edge School of the Arts are funded in the budget.

We are adopting, and my children are associated with those entities.

With that being said, I vote aye on all.

Thank you, Council.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the YMCA is funded in the budget via adopting and I'm associated with that entity.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you.

The budget via voting today makes real impactful investments in community across New York.

Under the leadership of Svika Menon, we have negotiated a budget that funds our parks, expand access to housing vouchers to families in need, and an increase in resources for vendor enforcement.

I know I speak for parents in my district when I say that I'm particularly excited for the 53 million investment in New York City rise, secure this budget.

In immigrant communities like the one that I represent, this program gives every child, regardless of their family's income or immigrate status.

A favorite chance at college and vocational training.

There are many families who might not be familiar with accounts like 529s, but this shows them that they have available options to save for college.

I also want to thank Chair Lee, the speaker's team, and the finance team for your hard work.

Thank you.

Vernikov.

I vote aye on all with the exception of intro 31A and 92A, and resos 529, 530, 531, and 532, and preconsidered resos 534 and 535.

Preconsidered RESO 539, 540, and M69.

Preconsidered Reso 543 and M74.

Preconsidered Reso 544 and M80.

Preconsidered Reso 545 and M81 and preconsidered Reso 546 and M82, on which I vote no.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Barnico.

Williams.

I am disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the Children's Rescue Fund, the City University of New York, and Queen's Alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, are funded in the budget we are adopting, and my sibling and I respectively are associated with those entities.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you so much.

So today's vote reflects a shared commitment to making strategic investments that strengthen our neighborhoods, support working families, and expand opportunity across New York City.

This year's budget includes much needed and historic investments in the cultural sector, our libraries, for homeowners, for those folks who are unhoused, and to also advancing racial equity.

Our responsibility doesn't end with passing a budget.

It continues with delivering on these investments and ensuring New Yorkers see the impact.

And I just wanted to end also with a round of thank you.

So I want to thank Speaker Julie Menon for all her hard work.

And Chair Lee mentioned all of the amazing finance staff that I bother so much.

And I don't want to go through the list again, but all the folks that she mentioned, thank you all so very much.

Some I have even more conversations with, some I have less, but I just appreciate you all for dealing with me and for all of your hard work during this year's budget and working so hard behind the scenes to bring everything together.

And with that, I'm excited to vote aye on all.

Thank you.

Wilson, permission to explain my vote.

I know I just got here a few weeks ago, so I can't take credit for everything, but I do want to point to some of the bigger wins in the budget.

Uh this budget comes at a time when the Trump administration is taking health care away from the neediest, violating the rights of transgender New Yorkers, trying to instill fear, fear in our immigrant communities, and doing incredible damage to the cultural, social, and legal legal fabric of our country.

This budget, by contrast, demonstrates our city's values by fighting back and representing a more hopeful and humane alternative.

There are aspects of this budget that are a long time coming that are huge wins.

The expansion of City FEPS is an incredible win for the city, and I want to congratulate Councilmember Perina Sanchez for her tireless work on this initiative.

The expansion of fair affairs, which is gonna provide access and reliability to transit for thousands of New Yorkers, and we've got big news for New York's cutest uh with every New York City public school kindergartner now receiving a college savings account, which will help families build wealth, expand opportunity, invest in the next generation.

We here at the city council just welcome back to our co-worker Raphael, who was wrongfully detained by ICE for over five months.

We fought hard for him and have been outspoken about the atrocities of ICE.

In this budget, we made sure to back up our word by providing over 86 million for our service providers to continue providing legal support for immigrant neighbors in need.

I want to thank Speaker Julie Menon for her leadership and holding firm on the council's priorities, Finance Committee Chair Linda Lee for her expertise, and Mayor Mandami for his partnership as well as advocates and all of my colleagues here.

While no budget solves every New York problem, I believe we are passing a budget that supports all the members of the district three community and brings us closer to a more equitable, fair, and progressive New York City.

And with that, I vote aye on all.

Thank you.

One.

I want to disclose on the record that my son attends an early childhood education center, 3K from the Department of Education in my district, and uh I vote no on intro 929A, intro 553A, and I on the rest.

Thank you.

One.

I vote yes on no except for intro 31, intro 92, and pre-consider resolutions 530, 531, 532, 534, and 535.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Zhuang.

Uh I'm disclosing on the record of the city uh of council proceeding that uh the New York City Park uh New York City Department of Education and the Jewish Community House Multiculture Centers tell us Toledo scope.

Our funding in the budget we are adopting, and my children are associated with those entities.

Um can I get permission to explain my vote?

Permission granted.

Thank you.

When I become a chair of committee on aging, I made the promise.

Our senior should never be an afterthought.

I'm glad to see Neon will get 12 million dollar expansion for those who need it most.

As a mother of two, I've fought for the parks in my district.

I want to make sure all the kids have a safe park to go, and I'm very happy to see we will have um more PAPS officer.

These are the backyard of New York City.

And I just also I'm very happy to see our library and fully funny, and our kids have a place for seven days reading.

For the working families, I um want to thank Chair Sanchez.

She fights so hard, and also our speaker hold the line for CD FAPS, because no one should lose their home in the city they helped to build.

I want to shout out to our speaker, Julie Manham, finance chair, Linda Lee and the finance team who championed every one of those fight alone side with us.

And uh you guys did a wonderful job.

Thank you.

And also, I will say no budget is perfect.

No one will be 100% uh satisfied, but I think this is a good budget, and uh we have more work to do, but we will keep fighting for New York City.

Thank you.

Oh, and I vote aye on the budget and everything, except uh I want to abstain, raise the 534 and 535.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Carr.

I'm disclosing on the record of the council proceedings that the Italian Club of Staten Island, the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, and the Garibaldi Miucci Museum are funded in the budget we are adopting, and I am associated with those organizations.

And New York City Health and Hospitals is funded in the budget we are adopting, and my spouse is associated with that entity.

Commission granted.

Thank you.

I want to begin by thanking the folks in this room who are happiest that the budget process is concluding, and that's the staff.

In particular, my team, Peter Spencer, Lorenzo Taneo, my hardworking budget director, and my chief of staff, Giuseppe DeZario, the Speaker's Office, Miguelina and Jonathan, and the finance division led by Nathan.

I thank Chair Lee for mentioning all the names earlier because they deserve to be said aloud for all the great work and hard hours that they put in.

I also really want to thank uh the speaker for all of her support in this budget.

She set out to really disprove the notion that Staten Island is the forgotten borough and wearing my Staten Island delegation hat for a moment.

I have to thank her for the incredible investment that she has made in Staten Island.

It's probably the largest single-year investment in recent memory.

Uh and she is really having showing that her intentions turned into action, and I can't thank her enough for everything she's going to be doing to improving the quality of life in Staten Island.

There are also huge wins in this borough and this budget that uh could not have happened but for her leadership and the advocacy of the council that are important not only to Staten Island but all boroughs, culturals, libraries, and investments in our parks department so that our parkies can better take care of our open spaces and recreation areas.

Actual money being put away for savings in the raiding day fund.

We are light years away from where we were earlier in the year when the a rainy day fund was being raided, and we were threatened with property tax increases of nine and a half percent, thanks to the leadership of this council and in particular our speaker that never came to pass, and there are so many things to champion in this budget.

All budgets are full of things we love and full of things that we do not love.

Um, and I talked about some of the ones that I love just now.

But uh one of the things that I do not love about this budget is one in particular that looms large over this moment is the missing funding for 580 new police officers.

Uh earlier this year, I was pleasantly surprised when the administration indicated that it was promising to expand the NYPD uniform head count by 580 officers.

For someone who's been trying to get us back to peak service levels over the course of my tenure, this was good news.

Um, and it was one that I was going to be taking back home to my constituents as a reason for supporting this budget.

A budget like everything else contains things that they will love and things that they will not.

And consistently, what I've seen over the course of my tenure in government, whether it's now as a member or before as a member of staff, is that the NYPD is increasingly asked to do less with less.

And I am a fiscal conservative.

I always want to see if we could be creative and do more with less, but the standard that is being imposed on the NYPD is unsustainable.

They are a cornerstone of our civil service.

And the decision at the last minute at the 11th hour, as my South Share colleague was describing earlier, to pull away this funding to say that it is not needed, beggars' belief.

And all the folks on the other side of the building in the mayor's office would need to do to realize that they are wrong about what is needed in terms of service levels at the NYPD is to talk to the rank and file.

Talk to the labor unions that represent them.

This is supposed to be a labor-friendly town where we defer to the expertise of our partners in labor, unless you're on the other side of the building and that labor organization wears a uniform.

We need to make sure that the NYPD stops relying not only on overtime, but mandatory overtime that is demoralizing and fatiguing our law enforcement.

They do not have enough officers to meet the demands that they have in an ordinary course of a year.

But with increasing numbers of protests, with events like FIFA and unexpected good events like the the Nick's uh celebrations uh that we experienced the parade and all the watch parties, um, and all the other things that happen that we do not anticipate in a year.

There are not enough officers to meet our need.

In Staten Island, we have fewer officers today than we had 30 years ago when we were half the size that we are.

That is unsustainable, and that's why I cannot support the budget that is now missing this committed promise from the administration.

And considering where we began with this budget process where the mayor inflated a deficit, and that inflation was laid bare as false by the hard work of our council leadership, our speaker, our chair at the finance committee, and now where we are today, where they're saying that we don't need the police officers that they promised.

This is not the honest and good faith partner that we need in our budget process on the other side of the building.

So with that being said, I'll be voting no on introductions thirty-one A, ninety-two A, resolution five twenty-nine, resolutions five thirty, five thirty-one, and five thirty-two, preconsidered resolutions five thirty-four and five thirty-five, preconsidered resolutions five thirty-nine and five forty with accompanying message M sixty-nine, preconsidered resolution five forty-three and m seventy-four, pre-considered resolution five forty four and m eighty, preconsidered resolution five forty-five and M eighty-one, and preconsidered resolution five forty-six and m eighty-two, and I on the rest.

Okay, thank you.

I would like to recognize Councilmember Silvina Brooks Powers, who I believe has to make an additional disclosure.

I'd like to also disclose that uh we are funding the YMCA and not for profit in this budget, and myself and my family are associated to that organization.

I vote aye on all.

Speaker amended.

I'd like to disclose on the record that the ninety second Street Y is funded in the budget we are adopting, and my child is associated with that entity.

I vote aye on all, and I just I know I did a lot of thank yous this morning in the budget handshake and earlier today in my speech, but once again, thank you to the hardworking finance team.

You've gotten such little sleep.

And we um we would not be at this moment without you.

And I think it really bears noting that you know our finance team, so many of them have been here for many, many years.

They work through multiple speakers, multiple mayors.

It's not about who the speaker is, who the mayor is, it is about the work of helping New Yorkers.

And we owe you a debt of gratitude for everything you've done.

And once again, thank you to my whole team who has just been tremendous.

Miguelina, Jonathan, Simone, John, Bob, our whole comms team, Henry, Jack, Joach, who've literally worked.

I mean, they've been helping all of the members.

I I just really can't thank them all enough.

We so deeply appreciate the amazing work that you have done.

Um, so thank you.

Okay.

Now give us a few minutes to tally the votes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Pardon.

Uh Councilmember Stevens.

Oh, yes.

Um on intro 92A.

No on intro 929.

Reso five two nine, M sixty-nine, Reso five three nine, and Reso five four five four zero.

M seven, reso fifty, five four one, reso fifty-two, I mean forty-two, um, M seventy one, and Reso um five four three.

Thank you, Councilman.

One moment, please.

Shake, are you stretching?

I'm ready.

Ready to get out of here.

Keep it down in the chambers.

We do have a ton of resolutions that I'm about to read very shortly, don't forget.

And we at the moment have six folks signed up for general discussion.

Take it up with your colleagues.

But please keep it down.

Thank you.

Keep it down.

Tally's coming.

All items on today's general order calendar are adopted by the vote of 51 in the affirmative, zero in the negative, and zero abstentions, with the exception of intro thirty-one A, which was adopted by a vote of forty-five in the affirmative, six to the negative and zero abstentions, and intro ninety-two A, which was adopted by a vote of forty-one in the affirmative, ten in negative and zero abstentions.

Rezo five two nine, which was adopted by a vote of forty-five in the affirmative, six to the negative and zero abstentions.

And Rezo 530, which was adopted by a vote of forty-four in the affirmative, seven in the negative and zero abstentions, and reso five three one, which was adopted by a vote of forty-four in the affirmative, seven in the negative and zero abstentions, and Reso five three two, which was adopted by a vote of forty-four in the affirmative, seven in negative and zero abstentions, and Reso five three four, which was adopted by a vote of 43 in the affirmative, seven in the negative and one abstention, and M69 with Reso 540 and 539, which was adopted by a vote of 43 in the affirmative, seven in the negative and zero abstention, and M sixty-nine with Reso five forty and five three nine, which was adopted by a vote of forty-five in the affirmative, six in the negative and zero abstentions, and M seventy-four and Reso five four three, which was adopted by a vote of forty-five in the affirmative, six to the negative and zero abstentions, and M eighty and Rezo five four four, which was adopted by a vote of forty-six in the affirmative, five in the negative and zero abstentions, and 5 and excuse me.

An M82 with Reso 546, which was adopted by a vote of 46 in the affirmative, five in the negative and zero abstentions, and intro 553A, which was adopted by a vote of 44 in the affirmative, 4 the negative and three abstentions, and intro 929A, which was adopted by a vote of 39 in the affirmative, 10 in the negative and 2 abstentions, and reso 533, which was adopted by a vote of 50 in the affirmative, one of the negative and zero abstentions, and intro 956A, which was adopted by a vote of 50 in the affirmative, zero in the negative and one abstention, and M70 with reso 541 and 542, which was adopted by a vote of 50 in the affirmative, zero in the negative and one abstention.

I now formally declare that the executive expense revenue contract budget, the executive capital budget, and the community development program for fiscal 2027 have been hereby adopted as modified and in accordance with the charter of the city of New York as of 807 p.m.

on this 30th day of June 2026.

Congratulations, Council members.

Introduction and reading of bills.

All bills have been referred to committee as indicated on today's agenda.

Thank you.

We'll now move into discussion of resolutions.

We have two folks signed up.

Council members Maloney, followed by Palladino.

Right.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

Please keep it down.

Please keep it down for the Councilmember.

One more thing to celebrate.

Today I'm introducing a resolution establishing an annual Knicks day in New York City on June 13th.

For 53 years, New Yorkers waited for this moment.

Across all five boroughs, neighbors gathered in living rooms, sports bars, and community spaces to watch the game.

And once again, the Knicks reminded us that there is nowhere quite like New York.

And uh we'll remember that year after year on annual Knicks day.

Uh we'll ensure that we celebrate not only a championship, but the resilience, determination, and pride that this team inspired across every borough.

The Knicks' legacy deserves a permanent place on our city's calendar.

So congratulations once again to the 2026 MBA champion New York Knicks.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

I believe Councilman Palladino, you don't want to speak.

All right.

Uh see no one else signed up for keyboard.

See no one else signed up for resolutions.

Is that right?

We will have a voice vote on today's resolutions.

If you wish to vote against or abstain from any of today's resolutions, please notify the legislative documents unit by email or by approaching the dais.

I will now read today's resolutions into the record.

Resolution 5 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Resolution 15 declares July 2nd annually in the City of New York as Freedom Day to commemorate the anniversary of the vote of the second Continental Congress to declare independence from Great Britain in 1776.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Resolution 69 unequivocally opposes President Trump's executive order restricting protections for transgender students and calling on the New York State Department of Education to ensure that all schools in New York City continue to uphold policies that protect the rights and dignity of transgender and gender non-conforming students regardless of federal directives.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions, the ayes have it.

Resolution 143A calls on the New York State Legislature to pass and the New York State Governor to sign.

Legislation which would create unlimited transfers within the two-hour period of paying the MTA subway or bus fare for pay per ride users.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Preconsidered reso 525 celebrates the Nixon 5 as the New York Knicks win the 2026 NBA Championship.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Who is that?

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Preconsidered reso 527 commemorates the pivotal political and military role of the New York City of New York City in the birth of the United States of America 250 years ago.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Preconsidered Reso 528 calls on the New York State Legislature to introduce and pass and the governor to sign legislation to amend the education law in relation to requiring instruction on the history, contributions, and experiences of people of African descent in public schools.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Preconsidered Reso 536 declares June 13 as New York Knicks' Day in the City of New York to celebrate the contributions of the world-class basketball team to the city's culture and civic identity.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Preconsidered resolution 537 celebrates the historical documents that contributed to the birth of the United States of America and are on display at the New York Public Library as part of the nation's 250th anniversary events.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

Preconsidered Reso 538 calling for famed New York City locations to be ceremonially named for one year in honor of the 2026 MBA champion, New York Knicks.

All those in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

Any abstentions?

The ayes have it.

We will now move into general discussion beginning with Councilmember Brewer, followed by Brooks Powers.

Very quickly, I do want to thank uh Cynthia Hornick from my office for all her work on the budget.

Number two, we had 15 interns here, they all left.

Um, but they will have lunch with me tomorrow.

And so I want to thank them.

And finally, just quickly, I didn't have a chance when I was talking about please keep it down in the chamber.

Let the council councilmember speak.

Thank you.

When I was talking about Cecile Richards, Cecile Richards Way on 83rd Street, I didn't give her full credit, all the work she did at Planned Parenthood, a civil rights leader, and to thank two people, Deborah Ben Herons and Carol Portlock for their persistence in making this sign a possible, and very especially her husband, uh Kirk Adams for making it also possible.

We will miss her tremendously.

I knew her mom, and I know she fell in the same category of an amazing woman in our country.

Thank you very much.

Councilmember Brooks Powers, followed by Murano.

Thank you.

I will try to make this brief.

I wanted to just take a moment to acknowledge my deputy chief of staff, Julian Martin, who will be departing the city council this Thursday.

Julian will be moving to Europe.

He has been accepted into a master's program.

Julian has been a an amazing addition to my team.

He has served the 31st Council District extremely well.

Um our constituents are really sad to see him go.

I'm really excited about this next chapter that he is going to be embarking on, but we are truly, truly, truly going to feel a significant gap in our team, just off of his advocacy, his brilliance in terms of legislation as well.

Um so Julian, we wish you well, and I just asked my colleagues and other uh council staff to join me in saying thank you to Julian Martin.

Alright, uh Councilmember Morano, yield back his time.

Councilmember nurse, I do not see.

She was here earlier for the members of the public.

Um, Councilmember Mealy.

And then Councilmember Pirina Sanchez.

And she is our last speaker.

I'm so sorry.

Okay.

I just I ran out of time and I didn't want to, I I didn't want to be disrespectful of majority leader when I ran out of time.

Um I did have one more thank you in my remarks, and that was to to the mayor's side.

Uh to, you know, they stayed at the table.

I I said this uh in many interviews.

Um they kept picking up the calls, they kept negotiating, and I and I want to acknowledge that.

Uh especially corp counsel Steve Banks, who created FEPS uh a couple of years ago, about a decade ago, um Andrew Kaplan in the mayor's office, and uh some some relationships were hurt, but I think we did something monumental here today, and I'm just very proud of that, and thank you for the time.

Thank you.

Thank you, colleagues.

I'll now call on speaker Julie Menon to close today's stated meeting.

Okay, the stated meeting of June 30th, 2026 is hereby closed.

Congratulations, colleagues.