Now that the 2026 term for the City Council is in full swing after the holidays, Speaker Julie Menin announced on Jan. 15 council members have been appointed and reappointed to the committees they will serve on during their tenure.
The newly elected District 30 Council Member Phil Wong will be serving on four key committees: Finance, Education, Public Safety, and Transportation and Infrastructure. He is also a member of the Speaker’s Budget Negotiation Team, which will work with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office on the Fiscal Budget for 2027. Council Member Joann Ariola was reappointed as chair of the Committee on Fire and Emergency Management, on which she successfully passed several pieces of legislation dedicated to firefighter safety.
“Apart from constituent services and ensuring that the quality of life in our district is maintained, a very important role of a Council Member is to provide oversight over the various city agencies that taxpayers pay their hard‑earned tax dollars for,” said Wong. “I’m proud that as a freshman, I was appointed to many important committees, and I thank Speaker Menin for the trust she has in me to play a pivotal role in shaping these committees, providing oversight of the agencies under their jurisdiction, and helping the Council negotiate the upcoming budget at a time when the economic outlook is uncertain and we must work together to keep New York on a stable, responsible path forward.”
Wong served as former Council Member Robert Holden’s budget director for several years prior to the election and plans to join the Common Sense Caucus, co-founded by Holden, which advocates for “taking fiscal responsibility into consideration” during the legislative process. Before joining Holden’s office, Wong was president of Community Education Council for District 24 (CEC24) and ran on expanding the Gifted & Talented Program, retaining the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), and fighting for more special education services during his campaign.
Wong is now working with Ariola on the Fire and Emergency Management committee, who most recently pushed through a landmark bill that removes Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), also known as “forever chemicals,” from fire fighters’ and first responders’ gear after being found to be carcinogenic.
“Council Member Ariola has a deep understanding of the Fire Department and how it works,” said newly appointed FDNY Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore. “That makes her a perfect choice for chair of the Committee on Fire and Emergency Management. We appreciate her consistent support and advocacy for our members, and we look forward to our continued partnership in the days to come.”
Ariola’s team stated she already has several pieces of legislation planned for 2025 to “enhance cancer-related health screenings, ensure safer roadways for service vehicles and more.” On top of Bonsignore’s approval, other organizations dedicated to fire fighters and EMS celebrated Ariola’s reprisal as chairperson, including the Uniformed Firefighters Association, EMS Local 2057 and Bravest for Choice.
“I am honored to continue serving as Chair of the City Council’s Committee on Fire and Emergency Management,”Ariola said. “Over the last four years, I have fought for safer equipment, fair pay for EMS, and the resources our first responders need to do their jobs safely. I look forward to continuing this work and serving as a strong voice for the men and women of the FDNY.”
