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A #BudgetPlanningForToday thread:
This is the time of the year where what you want to do is start highlighting your priorities for FY22, and seriously start making your plan for the year. But start small, form ideas. 1/
This is the time of the year where what you want to do is start highlighting your priorities for FY22, and seriously start making your plan for the year. But start small, form ideas. 1/
I’ll talk about where I start (budget analysis!), and offer a couple of ideas for thinking of what you want to see. 2/
First off, it’s vital to really know what happened in the budget. There are some good places to look, so you know where the story is now. 3/
The City gov document that lays things out in a narrative way is the City Council Schedule C: https://council.nyc.gov/budget/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2020/06/Fiscal-2021-Schedule-C-Cover-REPORT-Final.pdf (the link may change as they revise the document. You can also just Google: NYC Council FY21 Schedule C if that prev link goes dead). 4/
It’s got some “we did this!” language you may find nauseating, but it gives you an idea of top-line funding changes, and specifics with what Council funded with its own dollars (Council has money, Mayor has money, read https://www.abolishthenypd.com/resources#budget-explainer for more on that). 5/
Honestly, I do spreadsheets to track changes to program areas over time, but we’ll get into that in another thread. Right now we need quick & dirty rundowns. So, look for people/organizations/collectives that do budget analyses. Many do as a matter of course. 6/
A lot of folks are still working on these cause not all City budget documents are out yet. But email/tweet at organizations that focus on subject areas, check their sites. They’re writing statements, they should share them with you. 7/
Also, ask what *they* wish had happened, or look for analysis in their statements about what they wish had happened. Keep that in mind as “what other people are planning to do moving forward.” More on this slightly later in the thread. 8/
All the docs aren’t out yet, but my favorite official City doc is called the Budget Function Analysis. https://www1.nyc.gov/site/omb/publications/finplan06-20.page
It gives agency by agency, program by program, with city, state, federal funding streams. Not up yet, but it shows past years, current budget. 9/
It gives agency by agency, program by program, with city, state, federal funding streams. Not up yet, but it shows past years, current budget. 9/
Keep refreshing that link until Budget Function Analysis pops up.
But let’s turn to planning *your* priorities. 10/
But let’s turn to planning *your* priorities. 10/
Start talking to folks whose work you respect. Do a community chat where you compare ideas you hear from local politicians/other folks in the city and make a separate chart about what’s missing. Talk with folks about what you prioritize. 11/
Re: plans from other people, that’s what I meant before when I said make a list of “what other people are planning to do moving forward.” 12/
Anyway, knowing what other folks are up to, I recommend a community process to envision *your* idea for next steps, or doing it with folks you organize with, but you can also do it on your own. 13/
But I just like to establish a baseline (what exists, what are the plans for people already working in the space), and then build my vision/community vision from there. 14/
READ: WE ARE NOT IN A VACUUM. There are people planning, thinking of the future. You may disagree, but know what to react to, where you can specifically disagree or specifically complement an ongoing effort. 15/
If you’re new to an area you want to advocate for, find subject matter experts. Honestly, the folks at the Independent Budget Office ( @nycibo) are super generous with their time and frequently take my calls/emails to explain budget areas to me. 16/
Lol, they’re probs a little busy now, but check in with them soon. Maybe send a first outreach email today, or in coming days. 17/
I know a lot of folks I follow are wary of nonprofits, but as someone who has worked at many and whose friends do, nonprofits have to track program changes, government priorities. Grassroots efforts are probably doing the same. Reach out. Cold call/email/tweet. 18/
If you want to figure out how to improve social services, which I bet a lot of you do, talk to front line workers, program directors, and of course folks who use those programs if you can find them to dig deep, learn how things really work. 19/
I’ve been doing policy advocacy for about a decade (I’m 34), and I’m most effective when I outline, specifically, (1) this is what exists, (2) this is what’s good/fucked, (3) here’s my specific plan with what changes gov needs, budget and administratively, to make to fix it. 20/
But I’m getting a little ahead of myself. Learn what’s out there. Learn which players are in the space. Start learning what really happened in the budget. Learn the past, present, and use it to launch for [your/our/the] future. 21/
If any of this is a little confusing, ask me for clarity. Ideally RT with comment so I can clarify the idea. Thanks, and I’ll be doing this as much as I can, likely early on days I work. xoxoxox In solidarity. 22/
