QUESTION
Why is the BOE budget not updated according to actual headcount?
3:36:09
·
122 sec
The Executive Director of the NYC Board of Elections explains the flexibility and advantage in the budget planning process despite the discrepancy between the actual headcount and the budgeted positions.
- The Board's budget has flexibility on an annual basis to make adjustments for multiple election events.
- There is a method to the budget planning that accommodates fluctuations in headcount throughout the year.
- The Board collaborates with the administration for budget adjustments as needed.
- The Executive Director assures the committee of transparency in funding concerns.
Lincoln Restler
3:36:09
The FY 25 budget totals $144,800,000, including 68,000,000 in personnel services, funding to support about 5 17 full time positions.
3:36:23
But the actual headcount was approximately 700.
3:36:26
Why not update the BOE budget accordingly?
Michael J.Ryan
3:36:30
So we have worked very closely in in the 10 years that I have been here.
3:36:35
Certainly, that relationship has continued to build during the previous administration and has stayed study and continue to build during the current administration.
3:36:45
There's quite a bit of flexibility potentially for the board's budget on an annual basis.
3:36:51
For example, Mister Chairman, you mentioned that we have 4 or 5 election events over your 15 month period.
3:36:59
I was concentrating more on 1.
3:37:00
Fiscal.
3:37:02
We did in 2022 annual, not not fiscal, but in 2022 calendar year, we did 8 elections.
3:37:09
With all of the special elections.
3:37:11
There is some advantage, as I understand it, and I don't wanna speak on behalf of the administration, but there's some advantage to doing the math the way that they do it for budget planning purposes, but it always works out that were on the same page either during the fiscal year when adjustments need to be made either in the December plan, November December, January plan, whatever it turns out to be, and and it works out well.
3:37:37
We know what our paid head count is on an ongoing basis like any agency that may fluctuate up or down depending on arrivals and departures.
3:37:49
To coin a an airport phrase, but we work well with them, and the math always works.
3:37:56
And there's an advantage to doing it for OMB that the way that they do it.
3:38:00
We would certainly tell this committee given its oversight responsibility if we felt we were being shorted and not having the funds necessary.
Lincoln Restler
3:38:11
Well, we appreciate that.