How to Contact Your NY City Council Member during FY25 Budget Negotiations

By Emily Walker, Senior Manager of External Affairs  

In the weeks between now and the end of June, the New York City Council and the Mayor’s Office are in critical negotiations about the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget for NYC Parks. The FY25 Executive Budget for Parks included $55 million in cuts to the agency’s budget and will result in the loss of over 200 current staff lines on June 30. The need to reach our decision makers about the importance of funding our parks and natural areas is more urgent than ever. You can help us advocate for our city’s natural forested areas and wetlands and ensure they receive the funding they need to thrive.

Take these steps when contacting your local City Council Member. It’s one of the most impactful civic actions you can take!

1. Find out who your local City Council Member is 

Not sure who represents you? You can find out using this online form and submitting your address. You can also look up the contact information for every City Council office on the Council’s website. 

2. Call the correct office for budget concerns

Each Council Member has two offices – a District office and a Legislative office. The District office is a great resource for local issues and concerns. The Legislative office handles the Council Member’s citywide and policy work. For calls about the City Budget, we recommend you contact their Legislative office. 

3. Know what you’re going to say before you call

It’s helpful to have a list of items you want to cover in front of you so you are prepared once you reach a staff member.  Here are the NAC’s suggested asks: 

• Commit to funding the full Play Fair budget platform for the FY25 City budget.
• End the hiring freeze at NYC Parks and restore agency staffing to pre-Covid levels.
• Restore $2.4 million in permanent, baselined funding for the citywide Trail Formalization program.
• Restore $2.5 million in permanent, baselined funding for 51 forestry management staff whose jobs are set to expire in June. 
• Save and make permanent 50 Urban Park Ranger positions set to expire in June. 

4. Make the call! 

Once you have a staff member from your City Council office on the line, share your name, address, and phone number. You can also share if you volunteer in a local park or civic organization. Clearly state the budget asks from step 3 that you wish your Council Member to commit to. Thank the Council Member and their staff for their time.

Other actions you can take for NYC’s natural areas

• Continue to sign and share the Play Fair letter to Mayor Adams against cuts to the budget for NYC Parks, and sign the petition demanding 1% of the City budget for Parks.
• Like, comment on, and reshare #SaveNYCParks and #PlayFair social media posts by the Natural Areas Conservancy and our coalition partners between now and the end of June.

Thank you for your help advocating for our natural areas!

Activism March 13, 2024

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