AGENCY TESTIMONY
Water authority payments and infrastructure needs
0:14:54
·
60 sec
Comptroller Lander addresses the extension of water authority rental payments to the city and highlights concerns about the regressive nature of the current rate structure. He also emphasizes the need for improved stormwater management and infrastructure investment.
- OMB extended the restoration of water authority rental payments to the city for fiscal years 26 to 28, totaling $1.4 billion to the general fund
- Criticizes the proposed rate structure as regressive, falling on low-income homeowners and renters
- Calls for reform of the water rate structure to provide relief for low-income New Yorkers
- Highlights the city's unpreparedness for extreme rainfall events and climate crisis
- Recommends using water-dedicated resources for urgent stormwater management and sewer maintenance needs
- Suggests instituting a stormwater fee to ensure more equitable cost-sharing
Brad Lander
0:14:54
This council has focused on the fact that as part of the executive budget, OMB also extended the restoration of the water authority's rental payments to the city for fiscal years 26 to 28, so it's now in all 5 fiscal years, totaling $1,400,000,000 to the general fund.
0:15:11
While these resources are, of course, covering some essential services in the city budget, The proposed rate structure is regressive, falling on the backs of low income homeowners and renters.
0:15:21
The water rate structure should be reformed to provide relief for low income New Yorkers and sound enforcement mechanisms.
0:15:27
And, of course, in the face of the climate crisis, as highlighted in my office's recent investigation of flash flood preparedness, we are woefully underprepared for extreme rainfall events.
0:15:39
We need to use resources that are supposed to be dedicated for water, to address our urgent stormwater management and sewer maintenance needs, and also consider instituting a stormwater fee to ensure that those costs are more equally shared.
