The City Council said it has found an additional $6 billion in newly identified city dollars to undo many of Mayor Eric Adams’ spending cuts and make new investments in affordable housing construction and education.
Lawmakers on Monday released their official response to the mayor’s $109 billion budget proposal for the coming 2025 fiscal year, saying they will push to undo some of the $7 billion in spending cuts that the mayor has imposed since last year. The money comes from the $3 billion in greater tax revenues that the council projects through next year compared to the mayor’s office, as well as $2 billion in likely underspending on vacant positions and $550 million of in-year reserves.
“We have consistently said that the budget cuts made by the administration were far too broad and have negative impacts on our constituents and the stability of our city,” said Council Speaker Adrienne Adams at a Monday press conference. Finance chair Justin Brannan added that lawmakers would fight to undo “all of the previously proposed cuts — and then some.”
About $1 billion would be left over as surplus under the council plan. The document will serve as lawmakers’ guiding light as they begin budget talks with the Adams administration ahead of a June 30 deadline to pass a spending plan.
The council’s priorities will include undoing the $58 million in cuts to the city’s public library system, which leaders say will end weekend service and delay renovations unless the money is restored in the next budget; and reversing the $3 million cut that ended GrowNYC’s farmers market composting stands. Lawmakers called for undoing another $170 million cut to early childhood programs like universal pre-K, nixing a $19 million cut to Department of Buildings staffing, and restoring funding for various criminal justice and Vision Zero traffic safety programs.
As for new spending, lawmakers announced they will push for adding $4 billion in capital funding over five years to the Housing, Preservation & Development Department in order to build more affordable housing, as well as $3 billion over five years to the New York City Housing Authority for desperately needed repairs. The council also called for $200 million to fully fund a renovation of the Hunts Point produce market in the Bronx, and $55 million to fund a second year of property tax rebates for some homeowners.
Speaker Adams already signaled last month that the council would not only fight against further cuts but seek to undo some of the mayor’s previous reductions. Starting in November, Mayor Adams ordered two rounds of across-the-board 5% cuts through so-called “programs to eliminate the gap” — a method that allows City Hall to mandate spending reductions mid-year, outside of the usual budget process.
Thanks to an improving fiscal outlook and reduced spending on the migrant crisis, Mayor Adams canceled an additional round of cuts planned for April and restored funding for some notable areas — including police classes, fire department staffing and litter baskets. But the bulk of the cuts he has implemented remain in place, like those that could hamstring libraries and reduce 3-K seats.
It’s not uncommon for the mayor’s budget office to be more conservative in its forecasts than the council and other entities like the Independent Budget Office, which likewise forecasted $3 billion in greater tax revenues through next year compared to the mayor’s office. This year, however, the mayor has taken the unusual step of undoing cuts before negotiations even began — reflecting, depending whom you ask, either a rapidly improving economy or a questionable budgeting approach from City Hall in the face of sagging approval ratings.
Last year, the council similarly found $3 billion in additional money, and pushed successfully to undo more than $400 million in planned cuts to libraries, parks and the City University of New York system.
Nick Garber , 2024-04-01 19:27:55
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