Chair Krishnan on $6M stabilization clarification and funding independence
Krishnan agrees with Lee on the need for charter reform for DOI budget independence, then confirms the $6M request is purely for stabilization—not new programs—and verifies the executive budget is $2.1M less than FY26 and $12.8M less in baseline funding than prior years.
Thank you so much, Chair Lee.
There were just two points before I start my questions that I wanted to really agree with you on.
I think one is it is way past time that the city properly fund DOI so that the funds don't run out and you all can do your mission.
I agree with that completely.
And I also agree that there is a fundamental...
Conflict between in
agency tasked with the very independent mission being dependent on a city budget and budget process that will vary year to year, mayor to mayor.
So I fully support looking at ways that we can going forward reform the charter to make sure you all as an independent agency have an independent funding process too.
Chair Lee hit a number of the points and questions, but I wanted to clarify a few things because there's a lot of information, and I wanted to really just underscore the need, the critical need for funding that you all have.
So it's my understanding, Commissioner, right, that you all need $6 million in funding in this year's budget.
Just to stabilize.
That's not new needs, that's not new programs.
It's $6 million just to stabilize current operations and current staff on payroll.
It's just under $6 million.
Included within that is five new investigators, entry-level investigators, but that's really to stabilize things.
Currently.
That's right.
Okay.
And currently, the executive budget, I think you mentioned, has $2.1 million less than last year's budget.
Is that correct?
Yes, I believe so.
And $12.8 million less in baseline funding than going back several years at this point, right, taking into account the pegs from the Adams years and everything.
Yes.
That makes sense.
Okay.