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New Law Aims to Root Out Inequality in Parks Funding

By Gwynne Hogan | October 19, 2015 7:47am
 A new bill will require the Parks Department to report spending at each city park. 
A new bill will require the Parks Department to report spending at each city park. 
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Central Park Conservancy

NEW YORK CITY — The Parks Department must report how much it spends on upkeep of every city park under a new law.

Starting in December, the department will have to submit an annual report that breaks down how much it spent on maintenance for each park, how many workers were assigned to each location and how many hours they worked

The aim for the new bill is to increase transparency of how Parks Department funds are spent across the city. 

"For too long, it has been impossible to know what the city is spending in each of our parks, whether our capital program is on track and whether every community is getting its fair share," said City Councilman Brad Lander, who introduced the legislation that passed on Thursday. 

It's the second piece of legislation passed in recent months that aims to highlight disparities in parks funding, a major emphasis of Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration.

A bill that passed in March requires park conservancies like Central Park and the High Line to report donations, expenses and revenues to the city, which they will have to begin doing this December.