CM Morano questions OMB on Comptroller's $1.65 billion gap analysis

Of the fiscal challenges facing the city today, how much is attributable to obligations inherited from the prior administration, and how much is attributable to policy choices made since January 1st?

What we've talked about is in this executive budget, what you see.

or in terms of over the course of the preliminary and executive budget, what you see is $17 billion

that has been added in expenses, which is a very large amount because a lot of it, again, was the chronic underbudgeting.

And 92% of that.

Is to address the under budgeting and the core government functions that the city needs to run.

That's snow removal, that's IT, that is these programs that are mandated in many cases by either the federal government or state regulation, state law.

So that accounts for that.

So 8%, just 8%.

Of that, $1.39 billion, right, has been added for programmatic investments.

Before I wrap up, Chair, the controller, Mark Levine's budget analysis released this morning concludes that fiscal year 2027

may not actually be balanced and instead contains approximately a $1.65 billion gap.

Does OMB disagree with the controller's analysis?

If so, what specific assumptions does the controller make that OMB believes are incorrect?

We believe we've accounted for under-budgeting, and I think the controller actually confirmed that and actually applauded OMB and the administration.

for making sure that we put up unbudgeted costs in a way to be more transparent.

In terms of additional costs that the controller is highlighting, that they assert are not in the budget, we're happy to have that discussion and see what they're seeing and what they feel as though is not reflected.

And we can move forward.

But we have addressed what is effectively chronic under budgeting in our, you know, in the city's budget system.

Thank you.

And for round two, I have some questions about veteran services.

So stay tuned.

Great.

We've been joined by Councilmember Marte.