DSNY outlines $3.1 billion preliminary budget as Council presses on overtime and service distribution

Acting Commissioner Javier Luham told the New York City Council’s Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management that the Department of Sanitation’s fiscal 2027 preliminary budget totals approximately $3.1 billion and includes a mix of personal services and capital investments aimed at collection, cleaning and snow removal.

Luham said the FY26 expense plan contained about $2.25 billion and the FY27 plan about $2.08 billion, noting increases from the adopted budget the prior June. He listed the FY26 personal services baseline at roughly $1.344 billion and said the department’s overtime funding reflects both predictable operational needs and weather-driven spikes.

Why it matters: Council members framed the hearing as a test of whether the preliminary plan addresses chronic overtime reliance and whether resources are equitably allocated across boroughs and neighborhoods. Chair Justin Sanchez said the committee will scrutinize how the department’s resources “are being deployed to address the city’s most pressing sanitation challenges.”

Key details:

- Budget totals: Luham reported a DSNY preliminary operating plan of about $3.1 billion and a 10‑year capital plan of roughly $3.26 billion, with $1.09 billion earmarked for garages and facilities and $2.04 billion for equipment (DSNY testimony).

- Headcount and PS: DSNY said the FY26 budget included funding for 9,625 full‑time positions and a fiscal year 2027 headcount target near 9,901 positions.

- Overtime: DSNY described overtime as a material share of personal services spending. Luham said overtime and snow overtime together represent roughly 19% of the $1.344 billion PS budget in a recent year, with actual FY25 overtime of $204.7 million noted in committee exchanges.

- Capital priorities: The mayoral administration and DSNY highlighted capital investments in new garages and fleet replacement, including a Bronx garage project and upgrades to multiple district facilities.

DSNY said the budget mixes baseline service funding with contingency allowances for unpredictable but recurring drivers of cost—most notably snow operations and contracted emergency resources during major storms. The department told the committee it will provide follow‑up details on some line items requested by council members, including abandoned vehicle program budget specifics and certain conviction/collection rates tied to camera enforcement results.

What comes next: Council members repeatedly asked for more granular, borough‑level reporting and clarity about pooled versus borough allocations. DSNY said it uses internal tools and reporting—PMMR, MMR and field data apps—to track utilization and adjust resources weekly, and staff committed to follow up on outstanding numbers and analyses requested in the hearing.