New York City Council

Learn how the City Council works, and its role in the City budget, land use and legislation.

You can also view information about proposed laws, access the City Council calendar, and contact all Council members through the City Council home page, council.nyc.gov .

Introduction

The New York City Council is the law-making body of the City of New York. The Council consists of 51 members from districts throughout the five boroughs, each representing approximately 157,000 constituents. Council members are elected to four-year terms, and are limited to serving two terms.

The Council monitors the operation and performance of City agencies, makes land use decisions and has sole responsibility for approving the City budget. It also legislates on a wide range of subjects. The Council is an equal partner with the Mayor in the governing of New York City.

Budget

The budget is the centerpiece of policymaking in government. Through the budget, the Council establishes priorities, allocates resources and sets the policy agenda for the year. It is the single most important municipal document that affects the lives of New Yorkers. While the Mayor proposes the City's spending priorities for the upcoming year, the Council has final budget approval powers. During the budget process, the Council may change budget priorities and add special "terms and conditions" requiring City agencies to report to the Council on how specific monies are being spent throughout the year.

Read more about the budget process

Land Use

Under the 1990 revision to the City Charter, the Council acquired the power to review land use issues and approve zoning changes, housing and urban renewal plans, community development plans and the disposition of City-owned property. This power gives the Council a significant voice in the growth and development of our city.

Planning the physical changes to our neighborhoods is frequently a collaborative process, however, involving the Department of City Planning, the Community Board, the Borough President and the Council. In fact, community boards are encouraged to take an active role in creating a vision for their neighborhoods.

Community Board 6, for example, submitted a formal proposal to rezone the former Con Edison property along First Avenue, from 35th to 41st Streets, from a manufacturing district to a residential district. This proposal helped guide the efforts of Council Member Garodnick, the City Council's Land Use Committee and the Borough President in crafting an agreement with the owner of the property to develop the area in a way that will benefit the community, including new park space, affordable housing and a new school.

Oversight

The Council holds regular oversight hearings on City agencies to determine how agency programs are working and whether budgeted funds are being well spent. Examples include the joint hearing convened by the Council committees on Consumer Affairs and Public Safety in the wake of the blackouts in Queens, the Transportation Committee's oversight hearing on the failure of the Roosevelt Island Tram, and Education Committee hearings on how best to apply technology in the classroom.

Legislation

As the legislative body, the Council makes and passes the laws governing the city. The Council has passed landmark legislation on designated smoking areas in public places, campaign finance, anti-apartheid, solid-waste recycling and restrictions on assault weapons.

A law starts its life out as an Introduction, commonly abbreviated to "Intro" or "Int," which is a bill proposed — or, introduced — by a Council member. Before it can become a law, the bill is assigned to a committee.

Once the bill is approved by the committee, it goes before the full Council. A bill requires majority approval, 26 votes, to pass. If it does pass, it is sent to the Mayor, who can sign it, turning into a Local Law, or veto it, sending it back to the Council.