Metropolis Council Member Justin Brannan publicizes survey and listening tour to listen to from New Yorkers on how town ought to spend taxpayer {dollars}. Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.
Courtesy of Brannan Marketing campaign
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Ex-punk rocker Metropolis Council Member Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn) goes again on tour — this time to listen to straight from New Yorkers on how town ought to spend billions of taxpayer {dollars}, New York News Metro has realized.
Within the new yr, Brannan says he’ll host a “listening tour” as a part of his bid to be the subsequent metropolis comptroller, a watchdog function overseeing the Massive Apple’s funds. He’ll announce the tour in a web based video being launched Monday.
The council member additionally rolled out a web based survey on Dec. 30, asking 5 borough residents each for his or her suggestions on how town allocates its large $115 billion price range and extra common questions on the standard of metropolis companies.
Brannan, who chairs the council’s highly effective Finance Committee, says within the video that New Yorkers are nonetheless struggling to make ends meet even with a booming nationwide financial system.
“New York City is not broke; our current budget is $115 billion. We just need to get our priorities straight and ensure that every dime helps make life easier for New Yorkers,” Brannan says within the video, considered by New York News Metro.
On his listening tour, Brannan says he can be hitting bars, espresso retailers, and even folks’s residing rooms throughout the 5 boroughs to get their perspective on the place their tax {dollars} ought to go.
“I want to hear your ideas, your stories, and your vision,” he says.
The net survey asks respondents to choose three areas of metropolis companies the place they want to see the best price range investments. The record contains classes like inexpensive housing growth, public security, and sanitation.
The shape additionally poses extra common questions, akin to how glad survey takers are with the standard of metropolis companies of their neighborhoods and their prime priorities for enhancing their communities.
“New Yorkers are the smartest, toughest, most creative people on the planet. But it shouldn’t be so damn hard to get by in the richest city in the world,” he says.
Brannan, who has represented a part of southern Brooklyn within the council since 2017, is not any stranger to haggling over how a lot cash town has in its coffers and the place it ought to be spent.
As council Finance Chair, Brannan has endured three hard-fought price range cycles with Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. Throughout these typically contentious negotiations, he advocated for restoring broadly in style companies and applications—like libraries and Common Pre-Okay—lower by Metropolis Corridor.
Brannan, who’s term-limited within the council on the finish of 2025, launched his bid for comptroller in August, shortly after the place’s present occupant — Brad Lander — introduced his personal run for mayor.
Along with Brannan, the sector thus far contains Meeting Member Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Queens), an in depth ally of Mayor Adams, and Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.
