Statement from New York City Comptroller Brad Lander on Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) Survey

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released the following statement on the Citizens Budget Commission’s newly released 2023 Resident Survey: 

“Effective accountability is a shared task— to really understand how we can better manage the City, you have to start by asking New Yorkers. Props to the Citizens Budget Commission for this crucial survey measuring New Yorkers’ satisfaction with City services and quality of life.  

“While many New Yorkers love their neighborhoods, parks, and libraries, their perceptions of City services are down across the board. Just 37 percent of New Yorkers feel safe in their neighborhoods, down from 50 percent in 2017. One-in-ten New Yorkers are positive about how the City is addressing New Yorkers’ housing needs, with a 50 percent drop in the share of those who believe government is spending taxpayer dollars wisely. Neighborhoods of color—most affected by the pandemic, its subsequent employment loss, inflation spike, and city budget cuts—are the least satisfied with New York City today. 

“These survey results provide our leaders with a roadmap to stronger management of City services – starting with investments that will help make New Yorkers feel safe and confront our City’s affordability crisis and uneven recovery from the pandemic. We look forward to digging into the data and commend the CBC for engaging New Yorkers directly on the critical challenges we face. It’s how we can build a city where New Yorkers want to live, work, and raise their families for generations.”

###