Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
REMARKS
Council Member Brooks-Powers opens Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on DOT budget
0:03:42
·
3 min
Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers opens the joint hearing of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with the Committee on Finance to discuss the Department of Transportation's fiscal 2026 executive budget. She emphasizes the importance of transportation for social mobility, economic growth, and equity, and outlines key budget figures and concerns to be addressed during the hearing.
- DOT's fiscal 2026 budget is $1.5 billion, a 2.4% increase from the preliminary budget
- The capital commitment plan totals $11.66 billion for fiscal years 2025-2029
- Brooks-Powers plans to discuss equitable investment in underserved communities and DOT's compliance with legal mandates, particularly regarding bus lanes
Selvena Brooks-Powers
0:03:42
Thank you and good morning and welcome to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure's joint hearing with the Committee on Finance on the fiscal twenty twenty six executive budget for the Department of Transportation.
0:03:56
My name once again is Selvina Brooks Powers and I chair the committee on transportation infrastructure.
0:04:02
I have repeatedly emphasized that effective and efficient transportation is vital for social mobility, economic growth, and equity.
0:04:11
It also serves a crucial role in community health and our overall well-being as a city.
0:04:20
How and where we choose to invest our transportation dollars reflects the values and priorities of our city.
0:04:27
Today, we will hear from the Department of Transportation on its $1,500,000,000 fiscal 20 20 6 executive budget.
0:04:36
DOT's fiscal twenty twenty six budget in the executive plan is 2.4% greater than its $1,470,000,000 fiscal 20 20 6 preliminary budget presented in January.
0:04:50
DOT's capital commitment plan totals $11,660,000,000 across fiscal years 2025 to 2029.
0:04:59
This is 1,670,000,000 less than the preliminary capital commitment plan.
0:05:06
The fiscal twenty twenty six executive budget includes an additional $34,600,000, 20 2 point 8 million dollars of which is from new needs.
0:05:18
As always, I plan to discuss with DOT how the city can more equitably invest in historically underserved communities like the ones I represent.
0:05:30
Issues such as overnight residential tractor trailer parking remains a persistent concern in certain areas of our city and DOT is once again failing to meet the legal mandates the council established several years ago in the streets plan, especially when it comes to bus lanes.
0:05:47
I plan to ask DOT about this at today's hearing and I look forward to gaining a better understanding how this year's budget will ensure that DOT can meet its legal requirements and more effectively serve communities citywide.
0:06:03
As Adam Clayton Powell junior once said, it's time to move beyond the rhetoric and into action.
0:06:10
I look forward to better understanding how this year's budget will enable DOT to meet legal requirements and more effectively serve communities citywide.
0:06:19
Before we begin with testimony, I would like to thank council staff for their hard work on preparing for this hearing.
0:06:27
Adrianne Drapal, senior financial analyst, Julia Haramis, unit head, Chima Abachir, deputy director, Mark Chen, senior committee counsel, Kevin Kotowski and John Basile, senior policy analyst, and of course my staff including Julian Martin, my director of budget and legislation, as well as my chief of staff Renee Taylor.
0:06:50
And with that, I will now pass it back to chair Brannan.