Reporting on New York City: New York City Government

Overview

The New York City government is mayor-council system:

  • The executive branch is led by the Mayor, the city's chief executive officer, who is elected every four years
  • The 51-member New York City Council is the city's legislative body, with each member elected to represent a council district for four-year terms
  • Other key elected officials and representatives include:
    • Comptroller, the independently elected chief financial officer who advises on fiscal policies and audits the city's finances
    • Public Advocate, an independently elected official who serves as the city's ombudsman and watchdog
    • Borough Presidents, the elected executive officials of each of the city's five boroughs
    • The 59 Community Boards, local representative bodies each representing a Community District (neighborhood), composed of appointed, unpaid members who advise on local issues but have no authority to make or enforce laws

The Laws of the City of New York are comprised of:

  • The New York City Charter, the legal basis for the operation of the city, defining the authority of each official or body and the relationships among them
  • The Administrative Laws of the City of New York, the codified laws enacted by the Mayor and City Council
  • The Rules of the City of New York, the rules and regulations of the city's government agencies

To get started learning about local government:

Administration & Organization

New York City's official Organizational Chart (click to enlarge).
Organizational chart showing hierarchy of agencies and offices of New York City government

Government Publications

There is no single digital repository of city government publications. Below are common sources for publications, both current and historic:

Budgets, Operations & City Priorities

Data