FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: The de Blasio Administration has repeatedly said it planned to increase the number of civilians in the police department so that highly trained officers are not doing administrative tasks that could be performed by others. Although civilianization could help augment patrol strength and cut back on the need for overtime for uniformed officers, the hiring of civilians continues to lag.
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: Mayor de Blasio adds city funds to latest capital commitment plan for repairs of the East River bridges and to repave city streets
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: The Governor's budget includes three changes that would reduce the amount of state funding that goes to the city's Administration for Children's Services. While one change is applicable statewide, the two other changes are aimed only at New York City.
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: As the city opens new marine transfer stations for processing and shipping trash to landfills, the cost for long-term export contracts is rising.
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: The de Blasio Administration has emphasized education and job training as well as other supports for cash assistance recipients, which has led to an increase in the public assistance caseload as individuals remain on the roll for longer periods of time to participate in enhanced programs. But the increase in the caseload now seems to have leveled off.
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: The Mayor's latest capital commitment plan includes a 50 percent increase in funding through 2020 for green infrastructure projects
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: NYC Health + Hospitals still faces considerable fiscal hurdles, with more than $1 billion in hoped for federal and state aid still not approved and efforts lagging to shift more of the public hospital system's health care to outpatient services. And the potential gutting of the federal Affordable Care Act would likely mean the city hospitals would be providing more unreimbursed care for an increasing number of uninsured patients.
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: Foundation Aid, the state's primary aid to New York's public schools, is once again falling short of expectations under the Governor's budget compared with amounts set under a 2007 legislative agreement to settle the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit
FOCUS ON THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET: City support for charter schools is likely to be substantially higher than the amount the de Blasio Administration has budgeted. The increase is driven by two factors: higher charter school enrollment than currently projected in the budget and likely changes to the state formula that sets the amount the city must provide for each charter school student.