QUESTION
How is the NYC mayor handling project funding decisions, and why is communication problematic?
1:14:35
·
5 min
Council Member Diana Ayala expresses concerns over the mayor's project funding choices and the lack of communication with the council.
- Ayala discusses receiving notification of two new playground renovations contrasted with the cutting of four important projects.
- A particular concern is the cutting of funding for a community center in an area with high rates of gun violence.
- Ayala emphasizes the importance of prioritizing projects that address root causes of social issues, such as safety over playground upgrades.
- The Budget Director acknowledges the situation and the difficulty of making decisions on project funding during a housing crisis.
- The lack of communication and dialogue between the mayor's office and council members is highlighted as a significant issue affecting project outcomes.
Diana Ayala
1:14:35
I have such a hard time just being as honest as I wanna be because I really, really like you.
1:14:41
But the Yeah.
1:14:45
The idea that the mayor is not purposely picking and choosing which projects he wants to fund you know, it's not factual.
1:14:54
And I did receive, you know, notification, hey, council member, great news.
1:14:59
You're getting new 2 new playground renovations.
1:15:01
I need those 2 playground renovations.
1:15:03
I would look I I welcome those 2 playground renovations.
1:15:07
But then 2 days later, I got a quote while you're getting 4 projects that are getting cut.
1:15:12
1 of those projects happens to be it was funded under the deposit.
1:15:16
You're gonna in a development that has the highest rates of gun violence in in the entire district.
1:15:22
They have no community center.
1:15:24
It's It's been it's been, you know, very problematic.
1:15:27
And if you wanna deal with all of the other social issues, right, you have to get to the root of them, and you have to bring those resources.
1:15:32
So to me, if I have to choose, right, and I hate to choose, I I don't even wanna be in your position between two playgrounds, or that community center, then my priority is a community center because it's gonna keep my kids safe and, you know, possibly avoid them from getting shot industry.
1:15:48
And so those prior those conversations are not happening between the administration and our offices, and that's problematic.
1:15:55
The idea that the bureau based jail funding is there and we can't move it, I'd ask how many conversations have any of you had with the with with this part of of the city of city hall in regards to, you know, possibly amending or changing or just stating your position other in, you know, than when we're having a hearing.
1:16:17
A lot of those conversations are not happening.
1:16:19
And so if your if the administration is not advocating and acting in good faith, then, you know, where this is this is gonna be a long dragged out process.
Jacques Jiha
1:16:33
I will be very happy to have that discussion with the council to be quite honest with you because we're in a jam.
1:16:38
This is a big gem for us.
1:16:41
And and I'm not sure when you say the capital project, those projects will cut.
1:16:47
Are you talking about moving because we move them into the back end?
Amanda FarÃas
1:16:52
Yeah.
1:16:52
But you move
Diana Ayala
1:16:53
them to the back and well
Jacques Jiha
1:16:55
Because
Diana Ayala
1:16:55
moving new projects to the front.
Jacques Jiha
1:16:58
The projects if there's if there are projects, the these are projects that to do with zoning, rezoning, and as part of the housing.
1:17:05
And as you know, the housing is is a crisis.
1:17:07
But we have not yet really funded new things.
1:17:11
Because as I said, right now, we'll just try and put job order.
Diana Ayala
1:17:13
But I'm I'm just I'm giving you 2 examples.
1:17:16
Right?
1:17:16
I don't have right now of what happened to me, like, those things are true.
1:17:19
This just happened last week.
1:17:20
Like, I got 2 different calls.
1:17:22
1 on 1 on a Okay.
1:17:23
On a Tuesday, 1 on a Friday, hey.
1:17:25
You know, great news.
1:17:26
You're gonna get 2 new playgrounds.
1:17:28
Oh, bad news.
1:17:29
You're getting 4 projects that are being, you know, put in the pipeline.
1:17:33
For a later date.
1:17:34
We have no idea of, you know, of 1.
1:17:36
And the the truth is that that, you know, we have a responsibility, right, if we're if we're passing and we're fun leaving these projects in good faith.
1:17:45
There should be adequate communication coming from the other side of city hall in terms of, like, what the status of those projects is, you know, and and I and I get it.
1:17:54
Again, we have a new mayor.
1:17:55
He has his own, you know, idea of what his priorities are.
1:17:59
You know, where he he came in at a really rough time.
1:18:02
There's not a lot of money, you know, to go around.
1:18:05
So some things will be sacrificed in exchange for those priorities.
1:18:10
That they have laid out to play out, but I'm not willing to do that.
1:18:16
I'm not playing that game with things that really are not meant to be cosmetic.
1:18:25
These are these are these are programs and services that I have kids at Wagner's playground that are going down a slide that has, you know, broken steel.
1:18:34
I mean, these kids are getting cut.
1:18:37
That's why that that's why that particular playground was funded.
1:18:40
The community center was funded because of the high rates of violence And the commitment came actually on the day that we were there hosting, you know, an event for an honor and recognizing the need for better services because we had just had a shooting on that corner.
1:18:59
And so to me, it's just mind boggling the lack of of conversation and communication in regards to these things.
1:19:06
Again, you know, I'm not saying that that that I'm not committing to making any changes on the bureau based jail, but I'm saying that you know, you didn't give us that chance because that conversation was never had.
1:19:16
So when it's brought up and said, well, you know, what?
1:19:18
This is the law that we're gonna abide by when we know that this administration has been very funky about what they choose and choose not to abide by.
1:19:27
To me is is this, you know, is this ingenuous and it gives the impression to the to the public, right, that the councils are responsible when we haven't had the conversation because the conversation has never been created.
1:19:38
What's that?
1:19:38
Okay.