Committee on Executive Administration and Labor approves FY26 budget recommendations; transfers Pathways workforce program to DOES

The Committee on Executive Administration and Labor voted unanimously June 23 to report out its FY2026 budget recommendations, approving funding levels and a set of transfers and enhancements for agencies that oversee executive administration, senior services, labor, government accountability and elections.

Chairwoman Anita Bonds, who led the markup, said the committee worked to preserve and restore programs for seniors while aligning personnel and grant funding across executive offices. “As you can see, we are looking out for our seniors in this budget,” Chairwoman Bonds said.

The committee recommended approval of the Executive Office of the Mayor’s proposed FY26 budget of $31,700,000 and 175 full-time equivalents (FTEs); the Office of the City Administrator at $10,230,000 and 64 FTEs; the Office of the Secretary at $5,400,000 and 29 FTEs; and the Mayor’s Office of Legal Counsel at $1,800,000 and 10 FTEs. The committee reported the Department on Aging and Community Living (DACL) proposed budget at $62,200,000 and 121.8 FTEs — a roughly 4.3% operating decrease from FY25 — and adopted several targeted restorations and transfers to offset cuts.

Key senior services enhancements accepted by the committee include a one-time $200,000 transfer to the Veeder Senior Center; recurring transfers of $350,000 for the Dementia Navigators program (implemented by Iona Senior Services) and $250,000 to support senior villages; a one-time $350,000 transfer for the Connect-a-Card transportation program; $1,200,000 in capital funding to install an elevator at the Hattie Holmes Senior Wellness Center in Ward 4; a one-time $150,000 addition for the Connect-a-Card program specifically for returning citizens; and a one-time $100,000 to support two senior villages in Ward 7. The committee also allocated $100,000 (split evenly among three lead agencies) to support the UDC Senior Companion Program workforce training and stipends. Together, the committee said, these actions substantially restore about $2.8 million in proposed DACL program cuts.

On labor and workforce matters, the committee recommended approval of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) proposed FY26 budget of $181,600,000, noting the figure reflects more than $15,000,000 in reductions from FY25 largely tied to projected federal grant losses and a roughly $7,000,000 reduction in special purpose revenue that supports paid family leave administration. The committee also reported the transfer of the Pathways workforce program — $4,500,000 and 19 FTEs — from the Committee on Judiciary/Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONE) to the committee’s portfolio and slated to be located at DOES; the reported purpose of that transfer is to emphasize employment, skills building, training and job retention. Chairwoman Bonds said the ONE office itself will continue to operate, and that some of the transferred funds are designated for transportation, mental health services and food supports tied to the workforce component.

Councilmember Matthew Fruman praised restorations for senior villages and dementia supports but flagged questions about archives planning and cautioned against committing to an archives approach without broader agreement. “The idea of some sort of off-site facility paired with the Sumner School does not look like the right answer to me,” Fruman said, urging additional study.

Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said he supported the committee report overall but raised concerns about moving components of the Pathways program out of the ONE office, noting Pathways provides job readiness plus coordinated supports such as transportation, food and trauma-informed counseling. “I take issue with this aspect of your budget,” McDuffie said, adding he would seek more information about how ONE’s remaining violence-prevention work would be sustained after the transfer.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson questioned the Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining’s (OLRCB) pace and staffing levels after noting difficulty in timely bargaining negotiations. “I’m just thinking we’re behind in a lot of the bargaining agreements,” Mendelson said during discussion about agency performance and funding levels.

On government accountability and elections, the committee recommended approval of the Board of Elections operating plan (the report lists the BOE funding as $13,500,000, a 10.1% decrease, supporting 66 FTEs) and recommended the Office of Campaign Finance receive $16,800,000 and 38 FTEs — a more than 110% increase attributed to investment in the Fair Elections Program and related auditing and candidate qualification payments. The Office of the Inspector General’s proposed FY26 budget was reported at $23,400,000 and 121 FTEs.

The committee also adopted two recurring enhancements for the Office of Employee Appeals (OEA): a recurring $100,000 through FY2028 to hire a senior administrative staffer to help clear an open appeals backlog, and recurring funding of $38,000 per year (totaling $144,000 across the financial plan) for professional training for OEA staff.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Move the committee report for approval with leave for staff to make technical and conforming changes. Mover: Councilmember Anita Bonds. Outcome: Approved (unanimous). Recorded ayes during roll call and discussion included Chairwoman Anita Bonds, Councilmember Matthew Fruman, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie.

What the committee directed next

The committee’s action sends the report and recommended FY26 budget package to the Council with leave for staff to make technical and conforming edits. Members asked staff and relevant agencies to provide follow-up details on the archive facility options, the implementation plan for Pathways after the transfer, and efficiency improvements for the Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining.

Context and timing

The committee’s reported total for agencies under its purview was $980,851,558 for FY26 as presented in the markup. Members said several items will require additional coordination with other committees (Judiciary, Facilities, Human Services, Public Works and Operations) and with executive agencies to finalize implementation details. Chairwoman Bonds closed the meeting after the unanimous approval and adjourned the session.