What Are City Council Members Job Duties?
City Council members are vital to the pulse of New York City. They do important work, even if few New Yorkers know about it.
There are 51 council districts in New York City, each one with a council member representing about 170 thousand people and elected by the voters every four years.
Staten Island, the least populated borough, has only three districts; Brooklyn has the largest number with 15 and a half.
Council members are legislators: they introduce new laws and vote on them. They also negotiate the budget with the mayor and monitor city agencies.
Council members also act as a voice for their communities.
Joe Borelli is one of the few Republicans in the City Council, representing district 51 of Staten Island.
“The City Council is the only legislative body in the city and as a result you’re a big percentage of that government,” he said. “You get to have a significant role in what happens in your community.”
In their district offices, these legislators also provide key services to their constituents. They deal with matters ranging from housing to how to get a business license.
[Translated from Spanish] “I’m here because I don’t have the means to do my housing application,” said Nelda Suarez, a resident in Manhattan District 7.
To find your local council member, just go to the New York City Council website and type your address and borough. The name of your district’s Council member will appear. Click on their page to find their contact information and district office address.
Francesca is an Italian reporter covering politics for City Newsroom. She has reported in print, web, audio and video. Francesca speaks three languages.