Chair Epstein opening remarks on consumer and worker protection

I want to thank you, Chair Lee and Speaker Menon, for your leadership on these issues.

I know, especially Speaker Menon, your familiarity with these issues, both as a commissioner and the chair of this committee, is really invaluable.

I want to thank the Commissioner for DCWP for joining us today to talk about the Consumer Worker Protection Budget for this upcoming fiscal year.

You know, as we have heard already, and the questions we're going to be talking about is around the additional positions that you're hiring, the needs that the agency will have to ensure that it's fully funded to make sure that the workers and the consumers in New York get the support that they need.

We really want to hear about the increased numbers in active workers for consumer protection laws that the speaker mentioned, and if the proposed budget will ensure that they have enough staffing in place to make sure we follow those needs.

You know, my personal history as well as the speaker, we're really uniquely able to understand these concerns and see this history for New Yorkers.

You know, I do want to thank you, Commissioner Levine, for being here, your Deputy Commissioner, Elizabeth Wogan, Chief of Staff, Carlos Ortiz, and General Counsel, Mike Tiger, for being here today.

We really look forward to this active conversation where over the next few months, a few weeks, what our goals are together to ensure that the committee

and the staff.

and the speaker as the council, make sure we have enough resources to ensure that you are getting done what you need for New Yorkers.

I want to thank my team, the legislative division, Cyrus Wayne, Natalie Meltzer, my staff, Jackson Fisher Ward, Jen Amian, and our finance division, Glenn Maritoli, Daniel Krupp, and Chima,

who really put this together to make sure that we have a successful hearing.

And I'll turn it back over to the chair, Lee.

Great.

I also want to recognize we have been joined by Councilmember Murano on Zoom, as well as Justin Sanchez.

So before we get started, really quickly, just wanted to announce some logistics.

So as you

We all know if you've heard me speak at other hearings, because of the crunch in timeline for our executive budget hearings, we're going to do public testimony all on one day, Wednesday, June 10th, starting at 9.30 a.m.

So please join us that day.

We're going to try to make it as fun as we can.

So executive budget hearings for the public testimony portions, Wednesday, June 10th, starting at 9.30 a.m.

So please make sure to let folks know.