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Council Member Restler introduces OATH Commissioner and discusses agency budget and concerns
1:52:55
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Council Member Lincoln Restler welcomes OATH Commissioner Assim Reyman and provides an overview of the agency's budget for fiscal year 2026. He expresses concerns about the increasing number of summonses being issued and processed by OATH, particularly their impact on low-income communities of color.
- OATH's fiscal 2026 preliminary budget totals $77.2 million, an increase of $3.8 million from the fiscal 2025 adopted budget.
- Restler notes that summonses are on track to exceed 1 million this year.
- The council member commends OATH staff for doubling the number of help sessions in the first four months of the fiscal year.
Lincoln Restler
1:52:55
I would now like to welcome Assim Reyman, Commissioner and Chief Administrative Law Judge to testify before the committee.
1:53:01
Thank you for being here today.
1:53:03
The Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings fiscal twenty six preliminary budget totaled $77,200,000 including 60,500,000.0 in personnel services funding to support four fifty five full time positions and 16,700,000.0 for other than personnel services expenses.
1:53:19
Oath is the city's central independent administrative law court conducting hearings for city agencies, commissions, and boards.
1:53:26
In the preliminary plan, Oath's fiscal twenty twenty six preliminary budget is $3,800,000, greater than its fiscal twenty five adopted budget.
1:53:35
Today we look forward to discussing Oath's operations and other adjustments included in the preliminary plan, staffing at the agency, the handling of summons for city agencies, and the status of special education hearings.
1:53:46
I remain deeply concerned about the dramatic increase in summons being issued by city agencies and processed by oath, which are on track to exceed 1,000,000 summons this year.
1:53:58
As the agency ultimately responsible for all hearings and decisions, as the clearinghouse of all of these summons, it's critical that Oath helps us better understand the dramatic impact of this increase on working class New Yorkers.
1:54:10
I continue to be concerned that this increase is disproportionately impacting low income black and brown New Yorkers who could be forced to make the choice between paying a summons and buying groceries, leading to increased financial strain for far too many families.
1:54:25
I greatly appreciate the work of the Oath staff who process all these cases and work to advise New Yorkers on the process.
1:54:31
I was particularly impressed by the number of help sessions more than doubled in the first four months of this fiscal year.
1:54:37
And I'd like to especially thank John Castelli and Rachel Amar for their tireless work in conducting in district oath help events across the city, including just yesterday in Greenpoint.
1:54:48
Thank you to Judge Raymond for joining us today.
1:54:50
I know you're under the weather, so we'll try to be nice to you.
1:54:53
Well, I can't speak for my colleagues.
1:54:55
With that, I'd like to please ask the committee counsel to administer the oath and swear in the testifying representatives.