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Budget, Education & City Services

October 2016, Budget, Education & City Services Committee

FY 2018 Expense & Capital Budget Requests & Service Program Priorities

Every year the Board has a robust discussion about many of the issues that affect our District—this year was no exception. While we recognize the difficult economic environment that will exists for the 2018 budget we ask that there be no cuts to major services affecting CB5.

EXPENSE PRIORITIES:

1. Office of Management and Budget: Community board facilities and staff - - Continued funding for staffing.
2. New York City Police Department: NYPD staff and training resources - - Increased uniformed officer headcount to address grand larceny, and public nuisance management (e.g., pedicab enforcement, peddlers, and other "scams")
3. Department of Transportation: Traffic and traffic flow - - See letter from CBs 2, 4, 5 and Council Members
4. New York City Police Department: NYPD staff and training resources - - Additional funding for Traffic Enforcement Officers; increased traffic issues caused by uptick in pedicabs, vendors, construction, and increased tourism in summer/Holidays has made CB5 the most difficult to navigate. Increased traffic officers would provide better flow and less incidents.
5. Department of Transportation: Traffic and traffic flow - - Provide funding for study to assess potential redesigns for 5th and 6th Avenues to improve safety and efficiency.
6. Department of Homeless Services: Services for the homeless - - Increase funding for shelter programs, Homeless services including affordable quality housing, mental health services, childcare, foster care, drop-in centers, outreach programs and improved shelter programs.
7. Department of City Planning: Zoning and land use - - Mandatory inclusionary housing areas should be mapped throughout Manhattan Community District 5 so that all new residential construction of medium or high density developments helps to provide housing affordable to lower-income households. This will help the community district become a more economically diverse area.
8. Department of Homeless Services: Services for the homeless - - Provide additional funding for DHS police to improve safety and security at facilities housing homeless populations, generally.
9. Department of Sanitation: Street and lot cleaning - - Increase funding for additional litter baskets and trucks to reduce street garbage overflow in our District, particularly in areas that are not within a Business Improvement District (e.g., 6th Avenue north of 42nd St).
10. Department of Buildings: Building code and zoning enforcement - - Increase funding for Inspectors and Technology to ensure code compliance and public safety.
11. New York City Fire Department: FDNY programs and staffing - - Provide funding for additional firefighters in our district to serve additional residents coming into the new supertower condo buildings.
12. Department of Sanitation: Garbage collection and recycling - - Provide funding for more garbage cans, recycling bins in the Midtown area.
13. New York City Transit Authority: Transit Service - - Funding for additional trash and recycling cans in the 7th Avenue-53st station to prevent litter on the subway tracks.
14. Department of Small Business Services: Direct business services - - Provide resources and training on commercial leases to small business owners; including access and guidance to obtaining pro bono legal services.
15. Department of Homeless Services: Services for the homeless - - Identify areas and provide funding for permanent affordable housing for individuals and families in the shelter system.
16. New York City Fire Department: FDNY programs and staffing - - We support the FDNY request for doubling their training budget for general trainings and life-saving skills like CPR. In addition, they are looking into programs for increased vigilance on gas leaks. Should monies be required for those preventative programs, we support that funding as well.
17. Department of Youth and Community Development: After school programs - - Increase funding for after school programming and childcare.
18. Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Programs to address HIV/AIDS or other infectious diseases - - Increase funding for the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
19. Department of Youth and Community Development: Runaway and homeless youth - - Increase funding for outreach for runaway and LGBT teenagers.
20. Administration for Children's Services: Juvenile justice programs and preventive services - - Provide funding for treatment programs for juveniles with substance abuse rather than incarceration.
21. Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Developmental, mental health and substance abuse prevention programs - - Provide funding for programs for substance abuse for youths and non-violent persons rather than incarceration.
22. Department of Sanitation: Garbage collection and recycling - - Provide funding for the NYC Compost Project to increase the amount of compost bins around Midtown.
23. Department of Sanitation: Street and lot cleaning - - Request funding for more recycling machine and compost bins.
24. Department of Small Business Services: Workforce development - - Provide funding for New Yorkers Task Force to establish Career Pathways for the City's workforce system.
25. Department of Environmental Protection: Environmental protection - - Provide funding to support the transition to Green Energy Initiatives and incentivize the use of low sulfur fuels.
26. Housing Preservation and Development: Housing oversight and emergency programs - - Increase funding for Code Enforcement, Litigation and Loan Programs.
27. Department of Parks and Recreation: Street trees and forestry services - - Increase funding for additional exterminator and gardeners for pest control.
28. Department of Education: Educational programs - - Request for funding to improve the quality of food available to students.
29. If Manhattan, Bronx or Staten Island then NYPL; If Queens then QPL; If Brooklyn then BPL: Library facilities, equipment and programs - - Maintain funding for 6-day service and consider 7-day service for select locations, increased hours, diverse programming, strong collections and sufficient staff to support the growth and upkeep of branches.
30. Department of Environmental Protection: Water supply system - - Provide funding for additional monitoring of water quality.
31. Department for the Aging: Services for homebound older adults - - Increase funding for in-home care services and meal delivery service.
32. Department of Sanitation: Sanitation Enforcement - - Maintain funding for Sanitation Enforcement and fund additional training for Inspectors and audit staff.
33. Department of Sanitation: Sanitation Enforcement - - Funding is needed for enforcement of stricter recycling laws.
34. Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: Developmental, mental health and substance abuse prevention programs - - Provide funding to address Mental Health issues, provide treatment, resources and medications specifically for homeless populations.
35. Department of Education: Educational programs - - Provide support services through Thrive NYC.
36. Department of Sanitation: Sanitation Enforcement - - Increase funding for The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Police, responsible for enforcing illegal dumping of refuse, commercial and toxic waste.
37. Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC): Funding - - Hire additional staff to review applications and work with community boards in a timely fashion.
38. Human Resources Administration / Department of Social Services: Domestic violence services - - Due to the confidential nature of the DV shelters, we do not want to call out specific addresses, however we are aware of DV shelters and services within CB5. Please provide them with the adequate funding to continue to serve victims.
39. Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC): Additional Staff - - To have landmark designation reports database accessible and searchable by street address and lot number.

CAPITAL PRIORITIES

1. Department of Homeless Services: Upgrade existing facilities for the homeless - - Address deficiencies in existing infrastructure and facilities to improve quality of life in homeless shelters; address open violations.
2. Department of Transportation: Improve traffic and pedestrian safety, including traffic calming - - 59th street and 6th avenue is complex, with competing crosswalks and a poorly located bus stop, Central Park entrance, etc. Traffic lights' timing creates danger for pedestrians as the pedestrian lights and car lights nearly simultaneously instructs, permitting vehicles to turn at the same time.
3. New York City Transit Authority: Repair or upgrade subway stations or other transit infrastructure - - Funding is needed for upgrades to the 5th Ave/ 53rd St station, the Lexington Ave/ 51st-53rd St station (the 10th busiest station in the MTA system), and the passageways to the 7 train at 42nd St/ Grand Central station.
4. School Construction Authority: Provide new, expand, or upgrade other school facilities, such as playgrounds, libraries, or athletic fields, technology - - Fully fund planning for all new school constructions, including needs assessment, other planning costs and site selections.
5. Department of Transportation: Resurface roads or repair potholes - - Provide funding for resurfacing of all streets identified by the Department in priority order.
6. School Construction Authority: Provide a new or expand an existing elementary school - - Funding for increased Pre-K, Elementary school within our District.
7. School Construction Authority: Provide a new or expand an existing middle/intermediate school - - Funding for new middle schools.
8. School Construction Authority: Provide a new or expand an existing high school - - Funding for new High Schools.
9. Housing Preservation and Development: Provide more housing for extremely low and low income households - - Increase funding for long term supportive housing.
10. New York City Transit Authority: Improve accessibility of transit infrastructure, by providing elevators, escalators, etc. - - Provide needed funds to speed the repair, maintenance and upkeep of elevators.
11. Department of Environmental Protection: Build new, expand or repair storm sewers - - Flooding during moderate to heavy rainfall causes pooling and backups in sewers; specifically various locations on Park Avenue, and 58th & 5th (SW corner).
12. New York City Police Department: Other NYPD facilities and equipment requests - - At a minimum, study implementation of body cameras for uniformed officers, particularly due to the desire to have additional viewpoints in highly targeted areas such as Times Square; better would be for installation and utilization of body cameras for uniformed officers.
13. Department of Transportation: Upgrade or create new plazas - -
14. New York City Fire Department: Other FDNY facilities and equipment requests - - The FDNY has request $280,000 for the installation of additional fire alarms citywide, and we would support our appropriate share of new fire alarms.
15. Economic Development Corporation: Improve streetscapes in business districts to attract / encourage commercial activity, e.g., lighting, sidewalk improvements - - Increase funding for The City of New York Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), Division of Code Enforcement, responsible for enforcing landlord repairs. In New York City, renters and landlords have responsibilities to maintain residential and commercial property. These rights and responsibilities are outlined in the New York City Housing Maintenance Code and New York State Multiple Dwelling Law that HPD enforces.
16. Department of Transportation: Reconstruct streets - - Provide funding for upgrades and overhauling of the underground infrastructure in our District.
17. If Manhattan, Bronx or Staten Island then NYPL; If Queens then QPL; If Brooklyn then BPL: Provide more or better equipment to a library - - Funding for vital system upgrades to provide a boiler and HVAC replacement and system control at the Andrew Heiskel Braille & Talking Book Library. Additional funds are needed for ADA accessibility, roofs and restrooms.
18. If Manhattan, Bronx or Staten Island then NYPL; If Queens then QPL; If Brooklyn then BPL: Create a new, or renovate or upgrade an existing public library - - CB5 supports the NYPL renovation and capital budget plan set forth for the Main New York Public Library and Mid-Manhattan branch.
19. New York City Transit Authority: Improve accessibility of transit infrastructure, by providing elevators, escalators, etc. - - Provide funding for more ADA access in MTA Stations.
20. Department of Cultural Affairs: Other cultural facilities and resources requests - - Maintain funding levels for program groups, small cultural organizations and members of the cultural institutions.