Chair Stevens Delivers Opening Statement on ACS Savings Targets
Committee on Children and Youth Chair Althea Stevens delivers her opening statement, focusing on the impact of citywide savings and vacancy reduction benchmarks on vulnerable youth and families served by ACS.
And I now want to turn it over to my co-chair for this hearing, Councilmember Stevens, for her opening statement.
Good morning, and thank you, Chairley.
My name is Althea Stevens, and I'm serves as the chair of Committee on Children and Youth for this first part of our hearing this morning.
I look forward to discussing changes to ACS budget since the preliminary plan.
The executive budget included investments in several areas, including child care vouchers, detention facilities, and staffing across the agency.
New needs of $55.7 million were added to the fiscal 2026 in the executive plan, growing to $104.6 million in fiscal 2027 and dropping to $80.7 million in fiscal 2028 and in the outer years.
Additionally, other adjustments in fiscal 2026 totaled 547.6 million, dropping to 2 million in fiscal 2027 and in the out years.
While the city's budget now has been balanced without property taxes increase, all the agencies were required to meet savings and vacancy reduction benchmarks.
As agencies providing frontline services, some of the city's most vulnerable residents, understanding the impact of the savings targeted ACS is critical.