This brochure is your road map to how the city sets its spending priorities for the services that affect your daily life. New York City's budget-over $34 billion of your tax dollars in fiscal year 1999-funds public services such as education, sanitation, police, fire, parks, jails, libraries, and cultural institutions. The symbols above each step on the enclosed map indicate the key players for each step in the budget adoption process. Phone numbers for those players are listed below. We encourage you to get involved in the budget process by staying informed and having your voice heard.

Who Participates in the Budget Process

You - Anyone can testify at public hearings. At any stage in the process you can also express your views on the budget by calling or writing your elected officials. Participating early in the process is important so officials will have the most time to consider your views.

Community Boards - The city has 59 neighborhood Community Boards. They primarily play advisory roles in the city's budget process, zoning and land use, and work with city agencies in delivering services in the community. To identify and contact your local Community Board, call (212) 788-7418 or your Borough President's office.

New York City Council - Our city's legislative branch. There are 51 members, each representing one Council district. The Council enacts legislation, approves the city budget, reviews and approves land use actions, and provides oversight of city agencies. To identify and contact your local Council member, call (212) 788-7100.

Borough Board - Chaired by the Borough President, each board is composed of the borough's Council members and Community Board chairpersons. For more information, contact your Borough President's office.

Borough Presidents - Each of the five boroughs has a Borough President who monitors service delivery, prepares a strategic policy statement, and appoints members to the City Planning Commission and the Board of Education. To contact your Borough President, call:

The Mayor's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) - Responsible for preparing the Mayor's preliminary and executive budgets. OMB is also responsible for executing the adopted budget and advising the Mayor on policy issues affecting the city's fiscal stability and provision of services. To contact OMB, call (212) 788-5800.

The Mayor's Office of Operations - Oversees the daily operations of city agencies, provides them with technical assistance and consulting services, and coordinates the restructuring of city government. Operations also publishes the preliminary and final Mayor's Management Report (MMR), which reports on agency performance. To contact the Office of Operations, call (212) 788-1400.

Comptroller - Responsible for auditing and investigating matters relating to city finances and agency operations. The Comptroller prepares a statement of the debt service required for each fiscal year and also analyzes the preliminary and executive budgets. To contact the Comptroller's office, call (212) 669-2697.

Public Advocate - Assists city residents in resolving complaints about government and in accessing services. The Public Advocate also reviews the work of city agencies and monitors compliance with the City Charter. To reach the Public Advocate's Office, call (212) 669-7200.

The People's Budget Office - The mission of the Independent Budget Office (IBO) is to provide non-partisan budgetary, economic, and policy analysis for the residents of New York City and their elected officials, and to increase New Yorkers' understanding of and participation in the budget process. IBO can be reached at (212) 442-0632.

Web Site Links - Through the IBO web site you can link to many of the government offices described in this brochure. Links

To Contact Us:
Phone: (212) 442-0632
Fax: (212) 442-0350
E-mail address: ibo@ibo.nyc.ny.us
Web site address: www.ibo.nyc.ny.us