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Council Member Brannan's opening remarks on DCLA budget hearing
1:56:40
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174 sec
Council Member Justin Brannan delivers opening remarks for the executive budget hearing on the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). He outlines the proposed budget for DCLA, highlighting a $50.7 million increase from the preliminary plan and emphasizes the council's call for an additional $75 million to fully restore funding for cultural institutions.
- Brannan stresses the importance of investing in arts and cultural institutions for both moral and financial reasons.
- He notes that DCLA's proposed budget of $215.1 million represents less than 1% of the city's total proposed budget.
- The council member indicates that questions will focus on the council's budget response, one-time funding, and DCLA's capital program.
Justin Brannan
1:56:40
Okay, good afternoon and welcome to day eight, part two of day eight of the executive budget hearings.
1:56:48
This will be the final executive hearing of the day.
1:56:50
We'll be focusing on the Department of Cultural Affairs.
1:56:53
I'm joined by my colleague Councilmember Rivera, chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Intergroup Relations.
1:57:02
Welcome to a familiar face and friend, Commissioner Lori Kumbow.
1:57:06
Good to see you guys.
1:57:07
And Lance of course.
1:57:10
Thank you for joining us today to answer our questions.
1:57:15
On 05/01/2025, the administration released the executive financial plan for FY twenty six to twenty nine with a proposed FY twenty six budget of $115,100,000,000.
1:57:27
DCLA's proposed FY '26 budget of 215,100,000.0 represents less than 1% of administration's proposed FY twenty five budget.
1:57:37
This is an increase of 50,700,000.0 from the 164,400,000.0 originally budgeted in the preliminary plan back in January.
1:57:47
This increase is the result of several actions, mostly a partial restoration of PEGS to the CDF, the Cultural Development Fund, and the CIG, the Cultural Institution Group operating subsidy.
1:58:01
This partially offset by an adjustment in utility spending costs.
1:58:06
As of March 2025, DCLA had nine vacancies relative to their budgeted headcount.
1:58:14
In the council's preliminary budget response, we called on city hall to add $75,000,000 to DCLA's budget to fully restore and baseline cuts imposed to the cultural institutions funding.
1:58:26
And as I said this morning, we do not arrive at these numbers lightly.
1:58:30
The council has identified sufficient resources to restore this and other unnecessary cuts in full for our cultural institutions.
1:58:39
Investing in our arts and cultural institutions isn't a nice luxury but one of those rare moments where it works for both a moral and a financial position.
1:58:48
If a budget is a moral document then the arts are what inspires generations today and tomorrow to create, think, and explore the world beyond.
1:58:57
I've got the passport stamps to prove it.
1:59:00
Financially, our cultural institutions are also those key investments we need to support.
1:59:05
A heartbeat pulling millions of people into the city from around the world, generating money for our economy and our workforce and supporting jobs all the while.
1:59:14
The council is obligated to deliver a final budget that supports New Yorkers' success, fiscal and otherwise, and will continue that work in the negotiations ahead.
1:59:22
My questions today will largely focus on the council's budget response along with one time funding and DCLA's capital program, but I now want to turn back to my co chair, Councilmember Rivera, for her opening statement.