A hearing on the Department of Small Business Services (SBS)'s fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget of $182.1 million.

Discussions focused on:

• SBS workforce challenges
• Impact of new sanitation containerization rules on Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
• Funding for small business support programs
• Efforts to reduce storefront vacancies
• Support for worker cooperatives and minority/women-owned businesses

Features testimony from the Department of Small Business Services (SBS), Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), community development organizations, and the public.

A hearing on the fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget for DCAS, OATH, Law Department, and BOE.

Discussions focused on:

• Climate goals and building retrofits
• City hiring practices, real estate management
• The increase in summonses issued by agencies
• Cannabis enforcement
• Staffing shortages in the Law Department
• Voting access and poll worker recruitment
• Community board funding

Features testimony from the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), Law Department, Board of Elections, community board representatives, and the public.

A hearing on the fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Discussions focused on:

• Ongoing budget cuts
• Staffing shortages
• The need for increased funding to maintain and improve parks
• Concerns about tree planting and pruning delays
• Inadequate public bathrooms
• Investments in natural areas and urban forests

Council members and advocates called for restoring cut positions, increasing the parks budget to 1% of the city budget, and providing more stable funding for programs like urban park rangers.

Features testimony from the Department of Parks and Recreation and the public.

A hearing on the fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget for the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and Administration for Children's Services (ACS).

Discussions focused on DYCD's $1.2 billion budget (a 12% decrease from FY2025), funding for after-school programs, potential federal funding cuts, and concerns about stagnant rates for service providers.

For ACS, the $2.83 billion budget (an increase of $39.2 million from FY2025) was discussed, with major concerns raised about a looming childcare voucher funding crisis that could affect 62,000 families.

Other topics included juvenile justice issues, runaway/homeless youth services, and adult literacy programs.

Features testimony from DYCD, ACS, and the public, including youth beneficiaries of city programs.

A hearing on the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)'s fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget.

Discussions focused on the agency's $75.1 million proposed budget, including funding for 475 full-time positions, an increase from the previous year.

Key topics included DCWP's work in consumer protection, worker protection, and financial empowerment programs, as well as new initiatives like hotel licensing and a youth financial empowerment program.

Council members expressed concerns about federal rollbacks of consumer and worker protections, emphasizing DCWP's increased importance.

Features testimony from DCWP officials and the public, including advocates for low-wage workers, worker cooperatives, domestic workers, and street vendors.