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Q&A
Potential impact of Trump administration directive on federal funding for DOT
3:07:17
ยท
3 min
Council Member Brooks-Powers inquires about the potential impact of a Trump administration directive on federal funding for the Department of Transportation. Commissioner Rodriguez and his team explain that they are prepared for any changes but currently don't anticipate major disruptions to their funding.
- Most DOT federal funding is based on formulas, which are less likely to be affected
- The agency has a strong grants and finance team ready to adapt to any changes
- No concrete changes or alarms have been raised so far regarding federal funding
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
3:07:17
Thank you, commissioner.
3:07:18
Moving to federal funding.
3:07:20
On 01/27/2025, the Trump administration issued a directive to pause federal loan and grant spending.
3:07:27
This directive was quickly rescinded two days later but an executive order issued by the president to review funding remains in effect.
3:07:36
The outcome of the executive order is currently uncertain.
3:07:40
The preliminary plan includes a hundred and $9,000,000 of federal funding for a DLT in fiscal twenty twenty five, '8 percent of the agency's budget and $84,400,000 for fiscal twenty twenty six which is 6% of the agency's budget.
3:07:57
If the city is unable to collect this federal funding, how does DOT plan on addressing this potential federal shortfall and how will it affect operations?
Ydanis Rodriguez
3:08:08
Yeah.
3:08:09
I'm gonna start and then Paul will add more details.
3:08:12
I remember when I was a chair of this committee, Chima and the team of finance, I didn't understand at the beginning why the budget in June was less than what the budget was by November because it is by from the June to November day that the agency give more the federal funding.
3:08:33
One thing that I can say is that that we are we don't have any alarm at DOT.
3:08:39
You know, we had a great team in grant and finance, Elizabeth Franklin, Igor, who work with Paul as a deputy commissioner who oversee budgets and grants plus other area.
3:08:53
So far, you know, a lot of the funding that we have from the federal government is based on formula.
3:08:58
We are continually planning and working and the grand division is ready for any chance it may have.
3:09:06
But we don't again, if any chance can will happen and be concrete, the agency will be ready to act.
3:09:14
But so far, most of the federal funding that we've been getting from DC regardless in the first day of president Trump in DC, Obama or Clinton or any previous president have been based most of them on federal on on formula.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
3:09:31
I think that's right.
3:09:32
So you're saying that in the event that the Trump administration takes away federal funding effectively reducing funding to the agency, nothing matters at that point.
Ydanis Rodriguez
3:09:47
Of course, yes.
3:09:48
If there's less Resources, you know, the agency had to figure out a way how to keep pin our infrastructure in the state of a repair.
3:09:58
That's as I say, 98% of the job is more than bus lane and bike lane.
3:10:03
It's about the $17,000,000,000 in the next ten year we already have secured to invest in for our bridges, for our roadway that where we have 1,600 men and women taking care of the roadway.
3:10:16
It's like 1,400 men and women that they also take care of the sidewalk.
3:10:20
So definitely every single dollar that is less from the federal, the state, or the city is something that DOT, budgets and finance, they had to work hard to figure out how to keep maximizing every single dollar.
3:10:32
What I can say is about so far, the agency continue, yes, planning with what we have so far.
3:10:39
We have not have any definite news that the grant that we have anticipated by the end of the previous administration is something that DOT will lose.
3:10:47
But if anything come, you know, we had to we had a great team.
3:10:51
One of the best thing that I can say at DOT is that the level of retention or leadership is more than ten years.
3:10:57
So all of those are shooting in their previous commissioners, previous leaders, and this agency definitely have one of the best thing when it came to finance and buoyant.