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Commissioner says DCWP is 'lean and stretched' as council questions staffing and budget cuts
Summary
At a New York City Council budget hearing, DCWP Commissioner Sam Levine defended agency outcomes and warned staffing shortages limit enforcement; council members pressed on vacancies, a 2‑for‑1 hiring constraint and how the agency would implement recent laws without added resources.
Commissioner Sam Levine told the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection that the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is delivering significant enforcement results but is short‑staffed as it prepares to implement a slate of new laws.
Levine said DCWP's preliminary FY27 budget is roughly $73.4 million, with an authorized headcount of 484, an active headcount of about 425 and roughly 387 staff dedicated to DCWP work. He and agency staff described last year's enforcement workload — more than 52,000 inspections and about 1,230 formal investigations — and cited millions recovered for consumers and workers, including settlements and cases now under litigation.
Why it matters: Council members pressed Levine on whether those staffing levels are sufficient to enforce recent,…
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