Speaker Menin questions headcount comparison with prior year

Thank you very much.

So we appreciate the testimony today.

I want to get a little bit more into the headcount because I know you said this is the biggest investment that's been made into DCWP.

I think our finance team...

Had some concerns about that assertion because it's our understanding that last year, in terms of where the budget was, both with headcount and overall amount, that it actually was higher last year.

So we sort of want to get into those numbers.

I'm sure the chair will get into that as well.

Do you have any comments on that?

Sure, and I'm happy to explain that, Madam Speaker.

Last year's budget was, you might say, inflated by the inclusion of the summer contract for city residents.

That was budgeted at $12 million for FY26.

Under the current plan, we are eliminating the program for city residents, effective in FY27.

So that's going to reduce $12 million.

$14 million in FY27, $16 million in FY28, and we're plowing that money into our enforcement work.

So if you look at our actual budget for enforcement, it's growing significantly.

Okay, I guess what we want to get clarity on is you mentioned in your opening statement that the highest authorized headcount of 561, but your active headcount

is 409, which is lower than 417 this past July.

So we want to understand that.

Well, thank you, Madam Speaker.

We do have vacancies.

We have a vacancy rate of 16% right now.

So we have a lot of hiring to do in FY27.

We have vacancies to fill.

We have 77 new lines to hire.

And I can tell you, if you go onto our website right now, we have jobs posted.

We're already actively engaging in hiring.

And I would note, too, Speaker, that our authorized headcount for fiscal year 26 was 483.

But obviously with the mayor's investment for this fiscal year and moving into fiscal year 29, we're looking at an overall 40% increase in the headcount of the agency.

And how quickly do you think you're going to be hiring?

We think we're going to be on pace to hire.

I don't have month-by-month, Speaker, but we are going to be on pace to both close our current vacancies and hire the 77 through FY27.

We're already moving.