Boroughwide

Brannan tapped as chair of the City Council’s Finance Committee

January 21, 2022 Jaime DeJesus
Share this:

Councilmember Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bath Beach) will serve as chair of the City Council’s Committee on Finance, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced Jan. 20.

This is the first time in more than 10 years that a councilmember from Brooklyn will chair the important Finance Committee, according to Brannan’s office.

The Committee on Finance has oversight on the city’s Banking Commission, the Department of Design and Construction, the Department of Finance, the Independent Budget Office and the Comptroller’s Office. The committee also is charged with reviewing and modifying the city budget and municipal fiscal policy, as well as overseeing revenue from any additional sources. 

“I will use this position to ensure our city delivers for all the hardworking New Yorkers who have felt overlooked, ignored, and shut out of their government,” said Brannan, who was elected councilmember in 2017 and re-elected in 2021. “New Yorkers pay a tremendous amount of taxes and rightfully expect to see a tangible return on their investment.” 

Councilmember Justin Brannan, right, and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. Twitter photo



His role in the budget process will be broad, and will include negotiation, modification and review of the city’s revenues and expenditures. 

In his remarks, Brannan touched on the city’s recovery and said it won’t be exclusive to the privileged or the powerful.  

“Our recovery will be for everyone,” he said. “No matter if you’ve been a New Yorker since birth or since breakfast, we all deserve to live in a safe, clean, fair, and thriving city where nobody slips through the cracks. I thank Speaker Adams for giving me this enormous responsibility and opportunity to serve all New Yorkers.”

Brannan was also appointed to the City Council’s new Senior Leadership Team.

In June 2021, after an agreement between Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council on the city’s $98.7 billion budget, Brannan announced several local budget victories.

As part of what has been coined as the Recovery Budget, more than $13 million in capital funds will be used for schools, parks and playground improvements in Brannan’s 43rd District.

On Thursday, Adams also announced the City Council’s other committee chairs and new leadership.

“This is the most diverse City Council in history, and each member’s experiences and expertise will shape the important work of our legislative body,” she said. “I am confident that this City Council will work together to achieve our shared goal of providing strong oversight as a co-equal branch of city government and improving the lives of every New Yorker.” 

Brannan was one of the favorites for City Council speaker before dropping out of the race in December 2021 and giving his support to Adams.

“I’m proud of the race I ran, but moreover inspired by the future I know we can create if and when we are united as a body,” he tweeted at the time. “Because the most important part of any race is how we all come together in the end to make NYC better, fairer, safer, stronger and cleaner.”

Subscribe to our newsletters


Leave a Comment


Leave a Comment