Commissioner details executive budget PS cuts and vacancy reduction impacts

In the executive budget, OMB has imposed $1.06 million in one-time cuts in FY 2026 and $1.14 million in baseline cuts starting in FY 2027.

In fiscal year 2026, the executive budget cuts $500,000 in PS funding for the vacancy reduction mandate, reducing DOI's budgeted headcount by 11 in the baseline.

It also cuts $550,000 in a one-time PS accrual as projected by OMB, as well as $15,691 in a one-time savings for heat, light, and power.

In fiscal year 2027, the executive budget cuts $1.14 million

in baseline PS funding for the vacancy mandate.

To meet these cuts, DOI will have to defund and defer hiring for nine positions to satisfy the 50% vacancy reduction mandate, including critical senior level investigatory and legal positions.

This action will further deplete investigative and operational squads across the agency.

DOI will also have to forgo essential staffing made as part of our prior new needs request to OMB, specifically the restoration of 14 vacant positions at $1.4 million.

DOI previously

utilize the funds for these positions to offset serious recruitment, hiring, and retention challenges caused by prior budget reductions and the city's two-for-one hiring limitation.

We will also need to forego a request for 17 baseline positions for investigative and operational staff that include data analysts, confidential and background investigators, and auditors, among others.

In fact, DOI has already reduced this request to five entry-level investigators in our most recent new needs request to OMB for the adopted budget.

In addition, DOI requested funding for the mandated World Trade Center toxins investigation in the November and January plans, which OMB deferred to the incoming administration's review.

A request for $4 million for this investigation has been resubmitted for consideration in the adopted budget.

DOI cannot begin this council-mandated work until necessary funding is secured.