Comptroller Testifies on NYC’s Preliminary FY 2020 Budget

NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer recently testified before the New York City Council Committee on Finance’s Fiscal Year 2020 Preliminary Budget Hearing. This year, the comptroller continues the watch list of city agencies that are of most concern when it comes to budgeting. The list spotlights city departments without demonstrable results for their spending.

Stringer’s analysis revealed record multi-agency spending on homeless services, which is projected to reach nearly $3 billion even as the shelter population continues to rise. Meanwhile, the Department of Correction is spending over $300,000 per detainee as incidents of violence increase. And new for this year, Comptroller Stringer added the Department of Buildings to his agency watch list due to a 252 percent increase in construction accidents since FY 2014, despite increasing spending by 62 percent over the same period.

“Since 2014, DOB has increased its budget by over 60 percent and its staffing by 50 percent. And yet, there has been no measurable impact on construction safety. In fact, accidents, injuries, and fatalities are on the rise. I know that the Council is well aware of the problem and passed essential legislation in 2017 to address the issue, but we need to ensure that the new spending and requirements are on a path to make a meaningful difference,” said Stringer.