QUEENS, NY – Borough President Melinda Katz will chair an upcoming Queens Borough Board public hearing on the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2016 Preliminary Expense and Capital Budgets. The public hearing will be held at Queens Borough Hall (Room 200), 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens this Monday, February 23, 2015, at 10:30 a.m.
The Queens Borough Board is made up of the Borough President, the members of the City Council representing Queens and the 14 chairs of the borough’s Community Boards. The City Charter requires the Borough Board to submit its budget priorities each year to the Mayor, the City Council and the City’s Director of Management and Budget.
The purpose of the hearing will be to obtain the views and recommendations of the Community Boards, community stakeholders and the residents of Queens on the proposals contained in the Mayor’s FY 2016 Preliminary Budget. This input will be used to develop the Queens Borough Board’s budget priorities for FY 2016.
Members of the public are encouraged to testify. Representatives from local organizations will present requests for City funding during the hearing.
Anyone wishing to deliver oral testimony during the hearing must register in advance for speaking time by visiting www.queensbp.org/budget. Those testifying are asked to bring 20 copies of the written version of their testimony to the hearing and to limit all written testimony to two pages only. Speaking time will be limited to three minutes for each speaker. Anyone unable to attend the hearing may still submit written testimony by emailing it to [email protected] by 5 p.m. on February 23, 2015.
Each year, the Queens Borough President’s Office is appropriated a certain amount of City discretionary capital and expense dollars to allocate to local priority projects and programs.
According to the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget, Queens’ discretionary capital allocation is $50.7 million for FY 2016, up from $18.5 million in FY 2015.
The FY 2016 discretionary expense allocation will be finalized in the FY 2016 Adopted Budget.
IMPORTANT BUDGET DEADLINES:
- Discretionary Capital Funding Application – February 26, 2015
The Office of the Queens Borough President provides capital funding that can be used to fund large-scale projects, including but not limited to infrastructure improvements and affordable housing developments, and to purchase smaller-scale fixed assets, like computers, Smart-Boards for schools and meal delivery vehicles.
For non-profit organizations: Apply via NYC CapGrants at www.nyc.gov/html/capgrants/capgrants.html
For public schools: Apply via email by first downloading “Queens Borough President Reso A Application Form” found at www.queensbp.org/budget then submitting the completed form to Budget Director Richard Lee, [email protected].
- Discretionary Expense Funding Application – March 13, 2015
The Office of the Queens Borough President provides expense funding to support a wide range of programs provided by community based organizations throughout Queens, including but not limited to senior programs, youth programs, social service and community events.
Apply online using the “Borough President Program Funding Application” found at www.queensbp.budget.